Bison Pot Roast With Hominy

Name: Bison Pot Roast With Hominy
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup dried hominy (see Note); 1 (3- to 4-pound) bison chuck roast; Coarse sea salt; 3 tablespoons sunflower oil; 3 to 4 cups bison or vegetable stock; 2 fresh sage sprigs, plus more sage leaves reserved for garnish; 1 (4-inch) branch wild white cedar, or 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries; 1/4 cup light agave nectar; 1 packed cup sliced dandelion greens (or other dark greens, such as spinach or kale)

By Sean Sherman

Total Time: 3½ to 4 hours, plus overnight soaking
Rating: 4(95)
Comments: Read comments

The American bison that once roamed the Great Plains were considered sacred animals by the Lakota and other people of the region, and served as a critical food source that was celebrated in ceremonies and honored in prayers. According to numbers published by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, there were 30 million to 60 million bison in North America in the 1500s. By the end of the 1800s, settlers had decimated the population. In the late 1990s, the number of bison in North America had grown again, to nearly 300,000 animals in public herds and on ranches. It’s exciting we now have access to this vitally important meat. When it’s slowly braised, the lean, mild bison becomes fork tender; hominy brings substance and a subtly sweet, nutty corn flavor. Serve this dish alone or pair it with roasted turnips and winter squash. Soaking the hominy overnight before adding it to the pot helps it cook faster, so the dried corn kernels are ready in the same amount of time as the bison. Leftovers are terrific served over corn cakes or folded into tortillas. A small branch of foraged white cedar adds a woodsy note, but juniper berries achieve a similar effect.

Featured in: Sean Sherman’s 10 Essential Native American Recipes

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

1cup dried hominy (see Note)
1(3- to 4-pound) bison chuck roast
Coarse sea salt
3tablespoons sunflower oil
3 to 4cups bison or vegetable stock
2fresh sage sprigs, plus more sage leaves reserved for garnish
1(4-inch) branch wild white cedar, or 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries
¼cup light agave nectar
1packed cup sliced dandelion greens (or other dark greens, such as spinach or kale)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Add the hominy to a large bowl and cover with 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight at room temperature. Drain, discarding the soaking liquid.
Step 2
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Season the bison generously on all sides with 2 tablespoons salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add the bison and sear it until browned on all sides, rotating the meat when it releases easily from the pot, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a plate, then add the drained hominy, stock, sage sprigs, cedar or juniper, and agave to the pot.
Step 3
Bring to a simmer over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot. Return the meat to the pot, cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3½ hours, turning over the bison about halfway through. Remove and discard the sage sprigs and cedar, if using. (If using juniper berries, you can discard them, but it’s not necessary: They add surprising flavor and texture when eaten with the meat.) Stir in the greens until wilted. Season the liquid with more salt to taste.
Step 4
Slice the meat into 1-inch-thick slabs and divide among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the sauce, hominy and greens over the slices, and garnish with whole or torn sage leaves.

Tip

Dried, soaked hominy is crucial for this dish, as it lends more substance and body to the sauce than canned varieties would. Traditional Native American recipes use dried heirloom Pima corn, which is smaller and more flavorful than most commercial hominy. You can order it online from Ramona Farms or Native Seeds Search, or substitute dried commercial hominy, if need be.

Ratings

4 out of 5

95 user ratings

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Comments

Lynn5 years ago

I assume "sage" refers to common European culinary sage. Is there an indigenous equivalent? I remember a bewildering variety of sagebrushes with a bewildering variety of uses. At least some of the leaves were reminiscent of the flavor of culinary sage, although the ones I was familiar with had pronounced medicinal effects--enough that I wouldn't just toss in a random handful.

Crystal5 years ago

Decided to prepare this dish for Thanksgiving guests, having never made bison before. I ordered bison English roasts from Wild Idea Buffalo Company since bison chuck roast was nowhere to be found locally. For time's sake, I ordered dried white hominy, too, as none of the regular markets have it, but probably could have found it at a Latin American grocery store. Delicious! I used a very good vegetable stock, juniper berries and dried sage, and couldn't have been more pleased with the result.

Tammi4 years ago

This is clearly explained: "Traditional Native American recipes use dried heirloom Pima corn, which is smaller and more flavorful than most commercial hominy." If I were you, I would hesitate to correct someone who is trying to preserve their native culinary traditions, which predate yours (often significantly), by telling them their food isn't the "true" version.

Steve3 months ago

I can't juniper berries. Could I substitute gin?

KYS1 year ago

How many grams of hominy or Pima corn is 1 cup? I’m wanting to make sure I order a large enough bag online. Thanks!

Diana2 years ago

The flavor is amazing!! My only issue is that my hominy wasn’t fully cooked, even after four hours of braising so I’d suggest precooking or maybe using canned.

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