Buffalo Chili for dinner

One of my friends called to ask if I would be interested in some buffalo meat. I know, what a weird question to come out of the blue.

But, apparently, the Sacred Earth Foundation (the nonprofit running Ekone ranch) was culling 2 buffalo from their herd as a fundraiser. Both had been raised on organic, sustainable grasslands in Goldendale, Washington. The meat was being butchered and sold through friends by word of mouth only. I was not sure how much meat 2 buffalo gives forth but my friend was getting 450 lbs. to distribute to her friends. And, that was only 1/4 of the beast.

"Ok, sure. Why not?" It sounded like a good cause and I am always up for buying clean, not industrially produced meat. I threw in for 25 lbs. of various cuts; a couple of roasts, some T-bones that are literally 3 inches thick and a whole bunch of ground. In fact, my freezer is packed but I am not complaining.

Tonight is our first night trying it out. The ground is perfect for chili and it cooked up just like beef. It was a brighter, redder color than ground beef and has less fat. So I was careful to use a good splash a olive oil to brown.

Shelley's Buffalo Chili

Olive oil
Yellow onion
Celery
Variety of canned beans of your choosing: kidney, black, small red, great northern white, etc. I like mixing several kinds of beans
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
I packet Simply Organic Chili seasoning packet

Saute onion and celery till limp-ish then add ground beef/buffalo and brown. Add chopped tomatoes and beans then bring to simmer. Add tomato sauce. Add more sauce, water or beer if you like thin chili. Cook for 45 minutes or so.

Serve with grated cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.