RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
Soups

Bison and Wild Mushroom Stew

Bison simmered slowly with a mix of mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and rosemary in a rich beef bone broth until tender.

Why you'll love Bison and Wild Mushroom Stew

This is a stew for cold nights: tender bison in a deeply savory broth with a pile of mushrooms, carrot, celery, and woodsy herbs. Bison is sweet and beefy, and slow simmering turns it tender, while a mix of mushrooms, cremini and shiitake and oyster if you can find them, brings an earthy, almost meaty depth to the pot.

The thickness comes from the vegetables rather than flour. Browning the mushrooms hard in batches drives off their water and concentrates their flavor, tomato paste caramelized in the pot adds body, and at the end, a ladleful of the vegetables blended back into the broth gives it a silky, stew-like texture.

Make a big pot on the weekend; it gets better every day.

Quick overview: This Bison and Wild Mushroom Stew takes 25 min of hands-on time and about 2 hr 25 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 2 cups. You'll need a dutch oven and a blender.

Jump to recipe

Bison and wild mushroom stew with carrots and parsley
Prep 25 minCook 2 hrTotal 2 hr 25 minServes 4Serving about 2 cupsYou'll need Dutch oven, Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 lb bison stew meat or chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, and oyster, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste Label: tomatoes, and salt if any
  • 4 cups beef bone broth Label: beef bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • Make it from scratch: Beef Bone Broth

Instructions

  1. Brown the bison: Pat the bison dry and season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Move it to a plate.
  2. Brown the mushrooms: Add the butter and the mushrooms, in two batches if needed, and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until browned and their liquid has cooked off.
  3. Soften the vegetables: Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes, until the paste darkens.
  4. Simmer: Return the bison to the pot with the broth, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the bison is very tender.
  5. Thicken: Discard the herb stems and bay leaf. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the vegetables and broth into a blender, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
  6. Serve: Taste for salt, ladle into bowls, and scatter the parsley.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate for up to 4 days; it tastes even better the next day.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat.

Variations

  • Beef: Use beef chuck in place of the bison.
  • With turnips: Add a diced turnip or rutabaga with the carrots.
  • Creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end.
  • Dried porcini: Soak 1/2 ounce dried porcini in hot water, chop them, and add them with their strained liquid for deeper flavor.

Notes and tips

  • Brown the mushrooms hard: Leave them alone at first so they brown.
  • Simmer gently: Bison is low in fat and toughens at a hard boil.
  • Blend some of it: Blending part of the stew thickens it without flour.
  • Check the broth label: Bone broth should be bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Bison is rich in protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
  • Mushrooms bring B vitamins, selenium, and a savory depth from their natural glutamates.
  • Carrots, celery, and onion fill the pot with vegetables and gentle sweetness.
  • Bone broth brings savory depth, and butter browns the mushrooms beautifully.
  • As you eat, notice the earthy mushrooms and tender meat, and pay attention to how a hearty stew warms and satisfies you.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Bison and Wild Mushroom Stew? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the meat and mushrooms first, then cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Where do I find bison?

Many grocery stores sell bison stew meat or ground bison, and it is available frozen.

Can I use only cremini mushrooms?

Yes. A mix adds more flavor, but cremini alone are delicious.

Does it freeze well?

Yes, for up to 3 months.

You might also like

Tags: Soups, American