One of the most common questions we get is about how to cook our bison, elk and venison. Since people are already familiar with most of the cuts from a lifetime of cooking beef, the assumption is that the cooking methods are also similar. The good news is that for the most part, they are! However, because 100% grassfed bison and other wild-raised game meat like elk and venison are naturally leaner than beef, there are a few key differences that need to be noted. Follow these basic guidelines and you’ll have a perfectly cooked and extremely juicy steak, roast or burger every single time!

Less time. Less heat.

Game meats like bison, elk and venison are naturally leaner than beef, so they take less time to cook and require much lower temperatures. Grassfed meats – like our bison – are even leaner.

Quick Tip: Aim for 1/3 the cooking time and temperature required for beef

Cut out the guesswork.

Once you get used to cooking wild game, it gets easier, but since cutting into your meat before it’s done will let all the tasty juices out and leaving it on too long will overcook it, we recommend investing in a good wireless meat thermometer — our go-to is MEATER. Depending on how you like your meat, aim for the following temperatures:

Rare: 119-125 F       Medium Rare: 125-130 F      Medium: 130-135 F

Note: The temperature will rise a few degrees while resting so remember to take that into account.

Patience is delicious.

As hard as it will be to wait, don’t cut into your meat the second it comes off the grill. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes to seal in all the juices. It would be a shame to let all that goodness spill out onto the cutting board.

And there you have it. Simple. Delicious. And perfectly cooked every single time.