What Is Bison Round?

The round is the hind leg, a set of very lean, hard-working muscles. It is the source of lean roasts, jerky, and thin-sliced bison.

What to know

Round muscles move constantly, so the meat is lean and firm with little fat. It is not a quick steak cut; treated that way it turns tough and dry.

How to cook it

Round shines as a slow roast pulled at medium-rare, or sliced thin for jerky and stir-fry. For a roast, cook it low and use a thermometer, since there is no fat to hide behind.

Where to buy it

Bison is a small-farm product, so the best of it comes direct. Use Find a Farmer to buy bison near you, see the full Bison Meat Wiki, and check exact temperatures in our sous vide bison guide.

FAQ

Is bison round good for jerky?

Yes. Its leanness makes it ideal for jerky, which is why round is the classic jerky cut.

How should I cook a bison round roast?

Low and slow to medium-rare, then rest and slice thin against the grain. Do not push it past medium.

Where bison round comes from

The round is the hindquarter of the animal, the large region that makes up the rear leg. These muscles do a fair amount of work, so the round is lean and relatively firm, though not as tough as the hardest-working shoulder and shank. It is a big primal that yields economical roasts and steaks, and because it is so lean, it is a favorite for grinding and for making jerky. If the loin is the splurge and the chuck is the workhorse, the round is the lean, budget-friendly all-rounder.

What makes it special

The round’s defining quality is leanness. With very little fat and moderate connective tissue, it delivers a lot of lean protein for the money, but that same leanness means it dries out easily and can turn tough if cooked carelessly. The trick with the round is to either cook it gently and slice it thin, or braise it with moisture, rather than treating it like a tender steak. Handled right, it is flavorful and satisfying; handled wrong, it is dry and chewy.

Cuts from the round

The round yields several cuts. The top round is the most tender of them, good for a careful roast sliced thin for sandwiches. The bottom round and eye of round are leaner and firmer, best braised or slow-roasted. Round is also cut into economical steaks, ground into lean bison, and, thanks to its leanness, prized for jerky, since lean meat dries cleanly without fat to turn rancid. Rump roast comes from where the round meets the loin.

Best ways to cook it

The round rewards two approaches. The first is a careful roast: cook a top round to no more than medium-rare, pulling it early and slicing it very thin against the grain so it eats tender. The second is braising, where liquid and time soften the lean meat, ideal for the bottom round and eye of round. What you want to avoid is cooking a round cut hot and fast to medium or beyond as though it were a tender steak, which leaves it dry and tough. Low and moist, or careful and thin-sliced, are the winning strategies.

Round for jerky and grinding

Because it is so lean, the round is the classic choice for jerky. Its low fat content means it dries evenly and keeps well, since there is little fat to spoil, and its firm texture slices cleanly into strips. The round also grinds into very lean bison, good for those who want a low-fat grind, though a little added fat helps keep lean burgers from drying out. For both jerky and grind, trim away any silverskin and slice or grind while the meat is well chilled.

Temperature and technique

For roasting a round cut, use a thermometer and pull it at 125F to 130F for medium-rare, never higher, then rest it well and slice paper-thin against the grain. For braising, cook it low and moist until a probe slides in easily. The round is unforgiving of the middle ground, a fast cook to medium, which is exactly the doneness that leaves it dry and tough, so commit to one strategy or the other.

Round versus beef round

Bison round behaves like beef round but even leaner, so the same cautions apply in stronger form. Cook it gently and slice thin, or braise it, and treat any round steak as a candidate for marinating and careful cooking rather than a quick grill. Its leanness is an asset for jerky and lean grind and a challenge for steaks, exactly as with beef.

Buying, storing, and serving

Round cuts are among the more affordable bison, sold as roasts, lean steaks, stew meat, ground, and jerky strips. Look for deep red, cleanly trimmed meat from grass-fed animals. Raw round keeps a couple of days refrigerated and freezes well, and its leanness makes it excellent for the freezer. Serve thin-sliced roasted round in sandwiches and salads, braised round in stews and pot roasts, and lean ground round in dishes where you will add moisture. Treat it as the lean, economical, hardworking cut it is, and it earns its place.

Making the most of a lean cut

The round teaches a lesson that applies to all lean meat: moisture and technique matter more than the cut itself. A marinade adds flavor and a little moisture before cooking, thin slicing against the grain shortens tough fibers so even a firm roast eats tender, and a moist braise turns the leanest bottom round into a rich, satisfying dish. Approached with those tools, the round goes from a cut people avoid to one of the most useful and economical things in the freezer, whether you are roasting a top round for the week’s sandwiches, braising for a stew, or drying strips for jerky.

Tips

Pat the surface bone dry and use a screaming-hot cast iron pan so the meat browns instead of steaming. Start with good meat: bison from a local farm makes a real difference, and a fast instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out.

More from We Know Meat

Learn the method in our pan-searing guide, explore Bison cuts in the Meat Wiki, and browse our gear reviews.