Bison Steak with Porcini Butter

Bison steak with porcini butter is the dish we reach for when we want steakhouse depth without a marinade or a long cook. Bison loin is leaner than beef, so it sears fast and eats clean, and the porcini butter does the heavy lifting on flavor. Dried porcini carry a savory, almost meaty backbone that reads like aged beef, and when you fold them into softened butter they melt over the hot steak and coat every slice. Most grass-fed bison comes from ranches that finish their animals on pasture, so the fat is minimal and the meat is quick to overcook. Here is the honest tip we lead with: pull bison at 125F and no higher, because it climbs while it rests and dries out in a hurry past medium. Cook it like a lean steak, treat it gently, and let the mushroom butter carry the richness.

Why this recipe works

• Dried porcini give the butter a deep, savory flavor that matches the lean bison without any heavy sauce.
• A hot cast iron sear builds a brown crust in two to three minutes a side, which is all lean bison can take.
• Pulling at 125F and resting keeps the center rosy and juicy instead of gray and tight.
• The compound butter is made ahead and does double duty, basting the steak in the pan and finishing it on the plate.
• Five main ingredients, one pan, and about 35 minutes start to finish.

Ingredients

Serves 2. Quantities in US measures with metric where it helps.

For the porcini butter

• 0.5 oz (14 g) dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced fine
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 0.5 tsp dried)
• 0.25 tsp fine sea salt
• A few grinds of black pepper

Substitutions: dried shiitake or a mix of dried wild mushrooms work if porcini are hard to find. Grass-fed cultured butter adds a little tang if you have it.

For the bison

• 2 bison loin steaks (ribeye or strip), about 8 oz (225 g) each and 1.25 inches thick
• 1 tbsp neutral high-smoke-point oil, such as avocado or refined grapeseed
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Substitutions: bison sirloin or tenderloin also work. If you only have thin steaks, drop the target temp handling below and sear even faster.

How to make bison steak with porcini butter

1. Rehydrate the porcini. Cover the dried porcini with about 0.5 cup just-boiled water and soak 20 minutes until soft. Lift them out, squeeze gently, and chop fine. Save the soaking liquid for a pan sauce or soup another day; it is too good to pour out. We soak rather than grind so the mushroom pieces stay recognizable in the butter.
2. Make the porcini butter. Mash the softened butter with the chopped porcini, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper until evenly streaked. Scrape it onto parchment or a small plate, shape a rough log, and chill while you cook. Cold butter holds its shape when it hits the hot steak, so it melts slowly instead of running off at once.
3. Temper and season the steaks. Take the bison out of the fridge 30 to 40 minutes ahead so it is not fridge-cold in the center. Pat both sides very dry with a towel. Season generously with coarse salt and pepper right before cooking. Dry surface plus hot pan is how you get a crust instead of a steam.
4. Sear hard. Heat a heavy skillet, our Lodge cast iron, over medium-high until it just begins to smoke. Add the oil, then lay the steaks away from you. Sear undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms, then flip. Bison browns faster than beef because it is lean, so watch the edges and do not walk away.
5. Baste and check the temp. After the flip, drop a spoonful of the porcini butter into the pan, tilt it, and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks for the last minute. Pull the bison at 125F on an instant-read thermometer (we use a Thermapen) for medium-rare. Lean bison overcooks in seconds, so the thermometer is not optional here.
6. Rest, then top. Move the steaks to a warm plate and rest 8 minutes. The center will climb to about 130F, which is a true medium-rare for bison. Set a slice of the cold porcini butter on each steak so it melts down as you carry it to the table. Slice against the grain and serve.

Pro tips and common mistakes

• Do not cook bison past medium. It has little fat to protect it, and 135F and up turns it dry and livery fast.
• Dry the surface hard. Any moisture on the steak steams the pan and blocks the crust.
• Use a thermometer, not a timer. Thickness and starting temp vary, and 5F is the difference between juicy and tough.
• Let the pan get properly hot before the oil goes in. A lukewarm skillet gives you gray meat.
• Make the butter a day ahead if you can. The porcini flavor spreads through the butter as it sits.

Storage and leftovers

Wrap leftover steak tight and refrigerate up to 3 days. Bison is best reheated gently; warm slices in a low oven at 250F just to take off the chill, or eat them cold over greens. High heat will finish cooking the lean meat and dry it out. The porcini butter keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months, so make a double batch and use it on vegetables, eggs, or a beef steak later. Freeze the butter as a wrapped log and slice off coins as you need them.

What to serve with it

• Crispy smashed potatoes or a potato puree to catch the melting butter.
• A pile of quick-sauteed greens, such as spinach or chard, to cut the richness.
• Roasted mushrooms to echo the porcini in the butter.
• A dry red wine, a Barolo or a Syrah, which stands up to the mushroom depth.

Nutrition

About 500 calories, 47g protein, 33g fat, and 4g carbs per serving. These are estimates and vary with the exact cut, trim, and any substitutions.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should bison steak be cooked to?

Pull it at 125F for medium-rare and rest it; it will climb to about 130F. Bison is leaner than beef, so we stop 5F earlier than we would for a beef steak to keep it juicy.

Can I use fresh mushrooms instead of dried porcini?

Dried porcini carry more concentrated savory flavor, which is what makes the butter taste of aged beef. If you only have fresh, saute 3 oz of cremini or wild mushrooms until dry and browned, then chop and fold into the butter.

What is the best cut of bison for this recipe?

A steak from the loin, ribeye or strip, gives the best mix of tenderness and quick cooking. Bison tenderloin also works and cooks even faster. Read more on the bison loin in our Meat Wiki.

Why is my bison steak tough?

It is almost always overcooked. Bison has little marbling to buffer heat, so a minute too long pushes it past medium and tightens the muscle. Use a thermometer and pull at 125F.

Can I make the porcini butter ahead?

Yes, and you should. Make it up to 2 weeks ahead and keep it in the fridge, or freeze it for 3 months. The flavor deepens as it sits.

More mushroom-forward recipes

If the porcini butter is your kind of thing, try our porcini and red wine beef pot roast for a slow-braise version of the same flavor, or the chicken Marsala with wild mushrooms for a weeknight option. Curious about the animal itself? Start with our bison Meat Wiki pillar, and if you want a hands-off method, our sous vide bison guide covers times and temps for every cut.

Where to buy the meat

Bison eats best when it is pasture-raised and handled well, and the surest way to get that is straight from a rancher. Use our Find a Farmer directory to track down grass-fed bison near you and ask for loin steaks cut about 1.25 inches thick.

By Alfred Cleaver