Looking for Tasty Recipes for the Holiday Season? How about bison!

If you’re like us, you’ll probably be staying pretty close to home for the holidays. But that doesn’t mean things can’t get festive! We asked Chef Liana Robberecht to come up with a few special holiday entertaining recipes featuring Noble Premium Bison and she did not disappoint!

Platters are the ‘in’ thing these days, and these three recipes using Noble Premium Lean or Extra Lean Ground Bison would make a fabulous holiday appetizer platter. Check out Chef Liana’s Bison Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuit Bites, Bison Parsnip Kofta and Bison Wonton Kisses! You can also add lean and healthy Bison Gorgonzola Meatballs using our Gorgonzola Burger recipe – just top with a bright green pesto or chimichurri sauce and impress your holiday gathering with your culinary skills!

Our bison are 100% Canadian, raised on native grasslands on the prairies in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We raise our bison using regenerative ranching practices which means we care as much for the land and surrounding ecosystem as we do our animals. Want to find out more? Visit our ranch at noblepremiumbison.ca and Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. We share lots of great info on the nutritional benefits of bison, tips and recipes for cooking this lean healthy protein, and of course a bit about our own bison story.

Happy Holidays and Happing Cooking!

Noble Premium Bison Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuit Bites

You won’t be able to say no to these bison biscuits! This recipe has a few steps but they’re absolutely delicious and worth the time they take. The layering of bison, biscuit dough and cheese is a match made in flavour heaven. You’ll need a mini muffin tin, but since they are mini, you can eat many! Another great addition to the holiday entertaining menu 🙂

Prep time: approx 45 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Serves: 6 mini dozen

Preheat oven 400°F / 200°C

Equipment needed: mini non-stick muffin pan

• 1 package Noble Premium Bison Lead Ground (454g approx 2 cups)
• 4 cups (480g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp (4 mL) Chinese 5 Spice
• 3 tbsp (60 mL) smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Sambal Oelek chili
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) baking powder
• 1 tsp salt (4mL)
• 2/3 cup salted butter, cold (150g)
• ½ onion, small dice
• ¼ cup green onion, fine chop (60 mL)
• 4 tbsp roasted garlic (60 mL)
• ½ cup very small diced peeled fresh ambrosia apple
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (30 mL)
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh parsley, chopped (dried is fine)
• 2 cup grated cheddar cheese (240g)
• 1 tbsp Chipotle Tabasco (15 mL)
• Dash salt & pepper (for bison seasoning)
• buttermilk – start with ½ cup (120 mL)

Step 1

1. Sauté onion and garlic until soft and caramelized (slightly golden in colour); transfer to mixing bowl
2. Mix in bison, all spices and Tabasco
3. Par cook in a non-stick pan over medium heat until halfway done
4. When cool, transfer into a mixing bowl
5. Add small diced apple, green onions, maple syrup, egg yolk, grated cheese (reserve ½ cup-120 mL)
6. Mix together until bison is blended well
7. Divide mixture into 4 equal parts

Step 2

1. Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt into bowl
2. Add cold butter cut into small pea size, add chopped parsley
3. Stir in buttermilk slowly, just enough for dough to come together to form a ball (you may not need all of the buttermilk)
4. Divide dough into 4; roll to out each to ¼ inch sheets
5. Spread bison mixture evenly over top of each sheet evenly

Step 3

1. Starting from one end, roll over to form tight log shape (Roll over once just to meet the dough)
2. Cut when dough meets and begin again (you should have 2 logs from one sheet)
3. Cut log pieces into slices ½ inch slices and place into muffin tin
4. Press piece down slightly and top with cheese

Bake in preheated oven at 400°F / 200°C for 12 min

Drizzle with melted butter & maple syrup as soon as removed from oven

Noble Premium Bison Parsnip Kofta

Enjoy a deliciously creative take on this Middle Eastern shared dish. With the unique flavour combination of bison, parsnip, walnuts, citrus and spices, Noble Premium Bison Kofta will become your go to favourite. A perfect platter addition for holiday entertaining with friends and family.

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Serves: 20 portions

• 1 package Noble Premium Bison Lean Ground (454 g approx 2 cups)
• 1 cup (240 mL) grated peeled parsnip
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
• 1 cup (240 mL) medium to fine chopped roasted walnuts
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) roasted garlic
• ½ cup parsley (120 mL) finely chopped
• ¾ cup fresh mint (60 mL) finely chopped
• 1 tsp (4mL) lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
• 1 tsp (4 mL) ground coriander seed
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground black garlic powder
• 1 tsp (4 mL) orange zest
• 1 tsp (4 mL) ground cumin
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Sambal Oelek chili
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp (4 mL)

METHOD: Note: Soak wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes prior

1. Mix the bison and all ingredients into large bowl
2. Divide the mixture into roughly 20 even balls
3. Mold each ball around the pointed end of a skewer, making an oval kofta that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer.
4. Place on non-stick baking pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F / 180°C

Enjoy with Yogurt Sauce

Mix ingredients together and serve alongside the kofta

• 1 cup (240 mL) Greek style yogurt
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) roasted garlic purée
• 1 tsp (4 mL) cumin
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange juice
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Highwood Crossing Canola Oil
• 1 tbsp Chinook honey (15 mL)
• Tabasco (dash)
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley
• Salt (dash)

Noble Premium Bison Wonton Kisses
With Spiced Chinook Honey Dipping Sauce

These tasty little Bison Wonton Kisses will be sure to set your heart aflame. Seasoned with nuggets of pomegranate and spiced with ginger and orange, these little beauties will pair well with family and friends for a festive holiday party. Serve hot and enjoy.

Yield: approx 48 wontons

Prep time: 25-30 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

• 1 package Noble Premium Ground Bison (approx 2 cups)
• 1 cup (240 mL) fresh pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp (8 mL) grated orange zest
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Chinese 5 spice
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (30 mL)
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) black garlic powder
• 4 green onion stalks (finely chopped, green part only)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (30 mL)
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) cilantro finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Sambal Oelek Chili
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Tabasco sauce
• 1 package of wonton wrappers

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and follow these steps; repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers:

1. Lay 6 wonton wrappers on a counter or cutting board
2. Fill a small bowl with cold water, and keep it nearby. Spoon 1 tsp (4mL) of the filling into the centre of each wrapper.
3. Using small pastry brush or your finger, dab the edges of the wrappers with bit of water
4. Fold the wrappers in half to form a triangle, and press the edges to seal them closed
5. Fold the tips of the longer edges together, tucking one underneath
6. Lay the formed wontons flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Fill a skillet with 1 inch of oil. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Add the wontons in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Turn over using tongs and fry until golden brown (approx. 3-5 minutes). Remove onto paper towel, lightly season with salt. Alternatively, if you have a mini home fryer, you can use as per instructions.

Spiced Chinook Honey Sauce

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) Chinook Honey
• 1 tsp (4 mL) soya sauce sauce
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Sambal Oelek Chili
• ½ tsp (2mL) onion powder
• ½ tsp (2mL) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (2 mL) grated ginger
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced green onion

Mix all ingredients together and serve sauce warm with Noble Premium Bison Wonton Kisses.