Enjoy your family or holiday dinner in a more unique way with this juicy, nutritious, and delicious, slow cooker bison roast recipe. It's cooked in a crockpot with various vegetables such as cabbage, chickpeas, carrots and potatoes.
Jump to:
A Unique Holiday Feast
Instead of turkey or ham, I like to switch things up for Christmas with this vegetable-loaded, hearty bison roast. It is just as giving in its nutrition as the holiday it is made for.
While beef pot roast has more marbling, bison is leaner, helping you feel less stuffed at the end of the night.
Besides, you're going to need room for all of those delicious Christmas treats afterwards: Christmas cake pops, Christmas cookies, marzipan balls, etc.
It will take only a small amount of prep to sear the roast before putting it in the crock pot, but it will make the bison roast especially flavorful.
You can check out more festive Christmas recipes here.
Ingredients
- canned chickpeas - Chickpeas mixed in give an extra boost of protein and some texture contrast.
- green cabbage - You can substitute with red cabbage but it doesn't look as appetizing when cooked in the slow cooker.
- potatoes - Yukon Gold (yellow) are my favorite. You can use russet if desired.
- bison roast - You will need a chuck roast. Searing the roast before slow-cooking it caramelizes the roast, deepening the color and flavor.
- peanut oil - Peanut oil is great for searing because it has a high smoke point and gives a faint nutty aroma if made with roasted nuts. It may not be chestnuts roasting, but peanut oil gives a subtle nuttiness that enhances the flavor of the dish. However, if someone joining in on the meal has a nut allergy, you will need to avoid using it and opt for something like canola oil instead.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Prepare the Bison Roast
Step 1. Add vegetables. Arrange the chickpeas, carrots, cabbage and potatoes in the slow cooker and season them.
Step 2. Sear the roast. Pat the bison roast dry with some paper towel and generously season the whole roast. Sear the roast in a large skillet until it is browned on all sides. Place the roast on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
Step 3. Cook onions and garlic. Cook the onions over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Step 4. Add broth. Whisk the tomato paste with the vegetable broth and add it to the slow cooker along with the thyme and bay leaves.
Step 5. Cook. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is tender. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Step 6. Slice and serve. Slice and serve the Christmas roast!
Joss' Top Tip
If you don't like your carrots and potatoes to be too soft, you can add them during the last 3 hours on high or last 4 hours on low.
Food and Drink Pairing
This bison roast may have a lot of food in the slow cooker, but that does not mean you cannot add more food and drink on the side to complement it.
- Since bison is a red meat, it is best to have a 🍷 red wine with this meal such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Shiraz. This red wine glogg (a variation of mulled wine) is perfect for the holidays.
- For a holiday-themed cocktail option, you may want to try this cranberry-flavored Moscow mule.
- If you do not like alcohol, cranberry juice is a great substitute, and it still fits with the holiday flavors. I also love serving this 🍹 large batch Shirley Temple recipe because both kids and adults LOVE it.
- As for some side dishes, 🥗 Christmas green salad, roasted green beans, turnip fries and white asparagus all complement this dish perfectly.
- For dessert, you will love this date and walnut Christmas cake.
Bison Roast FAQs
Leftover roast and vegetables should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes! Bison roast can be frozen for up to 2 months, but make sure you let the roast cool completely first.
A bison chuck roast is best braised or seared and slow cooked in liquid, for meltingly tender meat.
If your bison chuck roast is tough, it might need to be cooked longer until tender and can pull apart with a fork easily.
More Juicy Bison Recipes to Try
If you tried this 🍖 Slow Cooker Bison Roast Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Slow Cooker Bison Roast
Ingredients
- 2 cups canned chickpeas - drained and rinsed (1 can)
- 2 cups carrots - peeled and chopped into large pieces
- ¼ small head green cabbage - cored
- 4 small Yukon gold potatoes - cleaned and quartered
- 2 ½ to 3 pound bison chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 cup yellow onions - sliced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- chopped fresh parsley - to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Arrange the chickpeas, carrots, cabbage and potatoes in the slow cooker*. Season the vegetables with some salt and pepper.2 cups canned chickpeas, 2 cups carrots, ¼ small head green cabbage, 4 small Yukon gold potatoes
- Pat the roast dry with some paper towel and generously season the whole roast with salt and pepper.2 ½ to 3 pound bison chuck roast
- Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet (cast iron works great) over medium-high heat. Sear the roast until it is browned on all sides, a few minutes per side. Place the roast on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.2 tablespoons peanut oil
- Reduce the pan heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the onions and garlic to the slow cooker.1 cup yellow onions, 2 cloves garlic
- Whisk the tomato paste with the vegetable broth and add it to the slow cooker. Add the thyme and bay leaves.3 tablespoons tomato paste, ½ cup vegetable broth, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours. The meat should be tender and fall apart. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Slice and serve! If desired, you can garnish the dish with chopped parsley.
Equipment
Notes
- Note on vegetables: *If you don't like your carrots and potatoes to be too soft, you can add them during the last 3 hours on high or last 4 hours on low.
- Fridge storage: Leftover roast and vegetables should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer storage: Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months, but make sure you let the roast cool completely first.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
This is perfect for holiday dinners. It’s hearty, tasty and stress free!