Post card from South Dakota postmarked 5/17/06

[Jenise]

It's always amusing when foodies travel....

"Bob and Jenise,

The scenery is spectacular but the food sucks. Local specialties are the buffalo burger or Indian fry bread tacos. No wine lists (glad we brought our own) and the only beer is Budweiser. Having a good time despite our snobbish ways. Wish you were here!

John and Annabelle"

[Bob Ross]

Gee, and I was planning buffalo burgers for dinner tonight. :-)

I've found a fantastic way to make them -- on my Krups sandwich maker with the lid down and heat on the lowest setting. Just the beef -- nothing added.

They come out perfectly for both Janet's and my taste after a little over two minutes of cooking.

Regards, Bob

[Jenise]

Tell me more about your sandwich maker. Is it related, at least in theory, to the George Foreman grill?

[Bob Ross]

Very, very similar. We liked the original Krups which I got at a garage sale unused for $5.00. Ted liked it so much, I gave it to him and got a slightly better model that allows you to modify temps.

My instructor at CIA boot camp said he used his Foreman grill in just this way -- one of the best suggestion I got out of the course, although we don't have burgers very often.

[Jenise]

So how does the meat exterior come out in only two minutes? Does it get crispy? I can only imagine it steaming.

[Bob Ross]

Crispy is very difficult with buffalo meat in my experience. We buy from Sayersbrook Bison Ranch and from a local fellow who is often out of stock.

Both recommend that buffalo should be cooked at half the temperature and half the time of similar cuts of beef from other cattle.

We had some lovely buffalo steaks at Artist's Point restaurant in Disneyworld last week, one of their specialties. The steaks were perfectly prepared, delicious really. No crispiness at all.

I spoke with the chef and asked him about trying to get that crust -- he recommended against it with buffalo meat. Not enough fat -- and the proteins will be partially destroyed at heat hot enough to provide it. Moreover, the meat will almost certainly dry out.

I think that over cooking bison is the major reason that many foodies dislike it.

Regards, Bob

[Jenise]

Bob, that makes perfect sense about the low fat and overcooking--I just didn't think that question through. And I've only had bison a few times, always burgers. Never tried any other cuts even though buffalo meat is widely available up here. I know I should try it, but as you've no doubt noticed I'm not very adventurous about new meats.

[Bob Ross]

We were astonished at how much we liked the bison burgers, Jenise. Especially since there is so little fat. I'll check to see if there is any crust tonight -- Janet thinks there is. But, for sure, there's no sense of steaming in the finished meat.

I was surprised to see that salmon and bison were called the two basic foods of the Pacific Northwest at Artist's Point -- but they specialized in Washington State wines -- tasting notes to follow -- and the wines and both salmon and bison went awfully well together.

[Jenise]

salmon and bison were called the two basic foods of the Pacific Northwest

Living here, I would disagree--I don't see bison in restaurants often, which I think would be a determinant--though they're certainly right about the salmon.

Will be interested to hear the results of your burger fry. I am completely ignorant about how those machines work but for what I've seen in the commercials, and I never presume those tell the truth.