Home on the Range Bison Ragu

In 1933 Bing Crosby first released Home on the Range. It was written as an ode to the American West, and hearing its words – whether sang throughout the years by Autry, Crosby, or Sinatra, give us that longing for the warmth and the nostalgia of home.

We have a strong hunch that our rich and hearty bison ragu, with the fireplace aglow and Gene Autry on the radio, might just give you those same feelings of coziness.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs. Bison Roast, cut in 2-3" chunks

• Salt and Pepper, to taste

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

• 1 Yellow Onion, diced

• 1 Carrot, diced

• 2 oz. Pancetta, diced (optional)

• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced or finely chopped

• 1/2 cup Red Wine

• 28 oz. Canned Whole Tomatoes

• 1/2 Cup Stock

• 3 tsp. Dried Oregano

• 1 tsp. Dried or Fresh Rosemary

• 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 1 Parmesan Rind

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 320* F.

Cut the bison roast into 2 to 3-inch pieces and generously season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven or oversized stockpot with lid over medium heat. Working in batches, sear the bison roast chunks until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate, cover, and set aside.

Add the onion and pancetta to the pot and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant in the pot.

Carefully pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (this is the good stuff!) and simmer gently for three minutes.

Return the bison to the pot. Remove the whole tomatoes from the can and press with the back of a fork to crush. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the stock, tomato paste, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and Parmesan rind.

Give it all a good stir, cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 4 hours or until the bison is very tender.

Once done, remove from the oven and discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaves. Gently shred the bison, leaving some pieces a bit larger and some small, and return to the pot. If you prefer the ragu a bit thicker, simmer it on the stovetop until its reached your desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt & pepper as needed.

Serve with a nice pasta, polenta, or gnocchi and a generous bit of Parmesan to taste.

Recipe Notes:

1. Make sure you're using a good quality red wine – something you'd enjoy drinking. We used a Barolo, but any full-bodied, dry red wine will work great. The flavor only intensifies over the cooking time, so make sure it's good.

2. This is a perfect meal for entertaining as it can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.