Winter Table: Slow-Cooker Bison Stew

This recipe is a variation on the slow-cooker beef stew my mom made when I was growing up, only I substituted bison meat for beef. Bison is leaner than beef but contains about 25% more protein, along with higher levels of iron and vitamin B12. It’s got less calories, fat or cholesterol than either beef, pork of chicken. And the majority of bison are free-range, grass-fed and hormone-free. That makes this bison stew a nutritious dish—and one you can easily throw together in a slow-cooker, let simmer for a few hours, and enjoy for dinner on a cold winter’s eve.

Slow-Cooker Bison Stew

Ingredients: 
1 pound ground bison
5 carrots, sliced
2-3 medium yukon gold potatoes, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can organic crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 cups water
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon sage
salt + pepper to taste

Preparation: 

1. Brown bison meat on stove. Drain.

2. Combine bison with all other ingredients in slow cooker.

3. Cook on high for at least 2 hours, then on low for 1-3 more hours. (Alternately, you could cook solely on low for a longer time period, if you want to get the stew going before you leave for work in the morning and have it for dinner that evening.)

Have a recipe we should include in our Winter Table series? Email me at elizabethnolanbrown @ gmail.com.