Distinctly Montana Magazine

12 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 It's warm, hearty fare, perfect for chilly nights. And, if accom- panied by the "Montana Mafia" cocktail on the facing page, it will surely result in a pleasantly convivial evening. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large casserole dish. Heat a dash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dust the shanks with flour and season thoroughly with salt and pepper, then brown the bison shanks on all sides (4 to 5 minutes). Trans- fer to a plate. Add onions, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, tomato paste, and fresh herbs sans parsley. Season to taste. Brown vegetables with a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper, for 4 to 5 minutes before transferring to the casserole dish. Using wine, carefully deglaze the skillet, making sure to get all the bits for maximum flavor. Then add the orange juice, mix, and transfer liquid mixture to the casserole dish. Add orange zest. Transfer bison shanks to the casserole dish and add broth. Put casserole dish in the oven for two and a half to three hours, bast- ing the meat every 45 minutes to an hour. Serve, garnished with parsley, over mashed potatoes, polenta, or with crusty bread. W E'VE REIMAGINED THIS ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD CLASSIC AS RUSTIC AMER- ICAN FRONTIER FARE by switching out bison for beef. We used bison shanks purchased from TANGEN DRAW and were more than impressed with the meat's high quality and delicious flavor. The lean, slow-cooked bison melts in your mouth, and you'll find it difficult not to eat the marrow right out of the bone with a spoon. Go ahead; we won't judge you. We recommend that you use Tangen Draw bison shanks. A provider of the fin- est Montana-raised beef and bison, their osso buco cuts are simply the best. FRONTIER BISON OSSO BUCO The Treasure 4 Bison Shanks, preferably from Tangen Draw Flour for dusting 2 small onions, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, diced 1 bulb of fennel, diced 4 cloves of garlic, diced 2 tbsp of tomato paste 1 orange 1 1/2 cups beef stock 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme A few dashes Hungarian paprika 1 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup of red wine T H E T R E A S U R E S T A T E T A B L E

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