slowcooked bison stew

i spy… bison fingers? well, not really — more like bison ribs, where the meat just falls off the bone in a stew.

so… bison fingers, you ask? well, that’s what the label read on the package of meat from local alberta organic producer, sunworks farm. always on the hunt for new ingredients for my next culinary experiment, i couldn’t help but be intrigued by the ‘bison fingers’ and thought these meaty ribs would make a great addition to a hearty slowcooked stew. perfect for a cozy sunday dinner at home.

slowcook the stew:
add the following ingredients into a medium slowcooker and stir to combine well.
simmer on low heat in the slowcooker for approx 8 hours.

- 1 large can (approx 800mL) crushed tomatoes
- 1.5 cups organic baby carrots
- 1.5 cups organic potatoes (rough chop)
- 2 red bell peppers (pitted, sliced into chunks)
- 500g organic bison ‘fingers’ or ribs
- 1 clove garlic (peeled, diced)
- 1 cup fresh italian parsley
- 4 cups water
- splash of red wine (i used some leftover cabernet sauvignon in this recipe.)
- dash of sea salt
- season w/ ground black peppercorns

at the 6.5 0r 7-hour mark, add the following ingredients:
- 1 cup organic yellow split peas

note: recommend not leaving the slowcooker unattended. you will need to stir ingredients occasionally and lift the slowcooker lid slightly to release steam occasionally during the slowcooking process, so it’s best to stay nearby. be sure to follow the safety instructional manual that came with your particular model of slowcooker.

food styling:
- dish up in a large soup bowl & dig in! :)
- if gluten-free option isn’t a requirement, this bison stew pairs nicely with some thin slices of artisan bread (just like a beef dip). i paired it here with challah bread.