Buffalo Stew

Okay, before you get completely grossed out about eating buffalo, remember that it looks just like beef AND it is is tons healthier for you! Consider these facts about buffalo:

-Buffalo tastes like a more fine beef, but has a more rich flavor and is slightly sweeter.
-Buffalo is naturally tender.
-You get more protein, minerals and nutrients, with less fat and calories in the same serving size as beef.
-They naturally spend more time in a pasture, with very little time in a feedlot. This means they are not usually given questionable hormones (like beef) and have less stressed induced hormones injected into their body when living the last part of their lives in a feedlot like store bought beef. (That makes the meat more tough and less tasty).
-Buffalo has a greater concentration of iron and essential fatty acids necessary to human health.
-Reader's Digest has listed Buffalo as being one of the top 5 foods women should eat since it is a good source of iron.

Plus, it tastes freaking awesome! It is super easy to prepare - simply use in place of any beef in any recipe. I found buffalo meat cubes at Whole Foods for only $4.50 for a dinner size package, and my husband thoughts stew on a cold wintry day sounded good. But, you can get ground buffalo, buffalo steak, buffalo roasts etc. The possibilities are endless!

Here is the stew recipe I tried, using what veges I had on hand. You can modify it to your own taste or favorite beef stew recipe:

3/4 lb. buffalo meat cubes, thawed (You can use more, but this was the size I found already prepared at Whole Foods).
32 oz. beef broth
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. Basil
1 Tb. Parsley
1 Tb. Thyme
1 Tb. salt
1 Tb. pepper
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce

I combined everything in a crockpot on low. I am going to cook it for 4-6 hours, since the meat was thawed. I also microwaved the meat for 3 minutes to help make sure it was a little more cooked and I would not have to leave it in the crockpot as long.

If anyone has a better stew recipe, I would love to try it! I love making homemade soups and stews. Preparing all the fresh vegetables is a relaxing thing for me and makes me feel like I am actively trying to be healthier.