Five-Spice Bison with Peppers & Peas
Thanks to its low heat, longer cooking time and added liquid, braising is the cooking method of choice to soften lean, low-fat cuts of bison. If bison (often labeled as buffalo) is a bit out of your budget or unavailable in your area, simply substitute with lean beef instead.
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp peanut or olive oil
- 1 lb lean bison (round, top loin 
or flank)
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tbsp peeled and grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari
- 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut lengthwise 
into thin strips
- 2 cups sugar snap peas or snow peas, 
cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
Preparation
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Pat bison dry with paper towel, add to pot and sear on both sides until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer bison to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add onion to pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and lightly browned, stirring. Add garlic, five-spice powder, ginger and white pepper; stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add 1/3 cup broth and cook for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. Stir in tamari, carrots and remaining 2/3 cup broth. Return bison to pot; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until bison is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from heat and transfer bison to a cutting board to rest for 3 to 5 minutes; then cut into thin slices on a diagonal. Meanwhile, add bell pepper and peas to pot, return to low heat and cook for 2 minutes, until bell pepper is just tender. To serve, divide bison among plates and top with pan sauce and vegetables, or serve vegetables alongside.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 3 oz bison, 1 1/2 cups vegetables, 1/4 cup pan sauce
- Calories 240
- Carbohydrate Content 15 g
- Cholesterol Content 81 mg
- Fat Content 7 g
- Fiber Content 3.5 g
- Protein Content 28 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1.5 g
- Sodium Content 252 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g