The Juiciest Pan-Seared Bison Tenderloin You’ll Ever Make
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If you've been wondering how to cook bison tenderloin steaks at home without ruining this expensive cut of meat, you're in the right place! This lean, elegant cut needs a cooking method that brings out its natural richness and flavor. All you need is a cast iron skillet and some simple ingredients, and you’re on your way to the most delicious steaks you’ll ever eat in your life!
One thing I love about stocking our freezer with bison from our local farmer is that we get all kinds of cuts that you’d never be able to find in a regular grocery store–including bison tenderloin.
Since our bison was split four ways, our butcher cut our portion into steaks. I had been saving these steaks for a special occasion dinner, but that “special occasion” turned into needing to eat down our freezer before we moved, so we had these tender, juicy steaks on a regular ol’ Tuesday night.
The turned out perfectly. We can’t stop thinking about them! The best part is they are SO easy to make. With a careful eye on the temp to keep from overcooking, you can make the best bison tenderloin steaks you’ve ever eaten as well.
Serve with some flavorful and healthy sides like my sweet potato casserole with orange.
Bison Tenderloin Vs. Beef
If you’ve ever had beef tenderloin, you know how it melts in your mouth and has a rich, delicious flavor. Bison tenderloin is no different! It is so buttery and smooth in texture, not tough at all (unless you cook it to a brick, but that’s on you!), and so incredibly delicious!
Any tips and tricks you use to cook a good beef tenderloin can also be applied to bison tenderloin. Tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat, so cooking method and style will be similar in beef and bison because the fat content is nearly the same in both.
Where to Buy Bison Tenderloin
This cut of meat is not readily available on the shelves of your average grocery store. Here are a few ways you can get access to this incredibly special cut:
- Direct from Farmer – Reach out to local bison farmers and ask them for their purchasing options. Many farmers ship or have delivery routes, so don’t shy away from talking to a farm you feel might be too far away. Depending on the farm, you may be able to buy isolated cuts, or they may give you purchasing options for part of a whole animal, which includes a variety of cuts.
- Local Butcher Shops – Check out your favorite local butcher shop! While it’s unlikely they already have bison tenderloin prepped and ready to go, many of them take custom orders.
- Online – There are more and more online butcher shops available that you can try. Simply search for Bison Tenderloin in your favorite search engine to find what is currently available.
Ingredients
Making these perfectly seared & oven-roasted bison tenderloin steaks only requires a few simple ingredients. The major ingredients are below–see the recipe card for all ingredients:
Bison Tenderloin – This is an extremely tender and flavorful cut from under the backbone and beneath the ribs. This is a muscle that doesn’t get a lot of use, so it is not prone to toughness at all.
Avocado Oil for searing.
Homemade Garlicky Herb Butter – I use a homemade garlic herb butter for basting. This consists of grass-fed butter with minced garlic and some dried thyme & rosemary.
How to Make Perfect Bison Tenderloin Steaks
1. Salt & Rest Meat
About one hour prior to cooking, remove your bison tenderloin steaks from the refrigerator. Pat them dry and then sprinkle them with coarse sea salt on both sides. Let them sit at room temperature for one hour.
If your house is warmer than 75°F, you can salt the steaks and place them back in the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes, then place them on the counter for another 30 minutes.
Salting the steaks an hour ahead of time is important–do not rush this. Salt draws moisture out of the steaks, but with enough time the tenderloin will reabsorb the juices. Salting just before cooking could result in dry steaks.
2. Make Garlic Butter
While the steaks are resting, soften the butter, mince or crush the garlic, and mix them together with about 1/2 tsp each of dried rosemary & thyme. Set this aside until it is time to cook the steaks.
Fresh herbs work great here, too! You can use a teaspoon of each, or more to taste.
3. Heat Oven & Skillet
Toward the end of the one hour resting time, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place an oven -safe skillet, such as cast iron, on your stove top and heat it to medium-high heat until nice and hot.
4. Sear the Tenderloin
Once the pan is nice and hot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado oil to the skillet. Once the oil spreads and glistens, add the steaks to the pan and leave them undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes.
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5. Flip & Baste
Using a pair of tongs, flip the steaks to the other side. Add the garlic butter to the pan and let it melt.
Tip the pan so the butter pools to one end. Using a spoon, scoop the butter mixture over the steaks repeatedly for about 2 minutes.
If the butter starts to brown, turn down the heat a bit so it doesn’t burn.
6. Finish in the Oven & Rest
Turn off the stove and carefully move the oven-safe skillet into the oven for the bison tenderloin to finish cooking.
Cook at 400°F for 3-5 minutes– 3 minutes for rare, 4 for medium rare, 5 for medium. Check the internal temp with a thermometer–you want to pull them out about 5 degrees cooler than your desired final temp.
For medium-rare, pull the steaks at 130°F and let them rest. By the end of the rest, they should be 134-135°F.
For rare, pull the steaks at 125°. For medium, pull at 135°.
Let steaks rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
NOTE ON TIMING: These timings are based on 1 1/2 inch steaks. If your steaks are thinner or thicker, time may need to be slightly adjusted.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Tenderloin
- Let the steaks come to room temperature before cooking. This ensures they cook evenly and that the timings in this recipe are correct.
- Salt the steaks 30-60 minutes before cooking. This gives the steaks ample time to reabsorb the juices that the salt draws out. If you forget to salt your steaks at the beginning, salt it after cooking instead of right before.
- Watch the internal temp–you should remove the steaks from the oven about 5 degrees cooler than your desired final temp. For medium-rare, pull at 130° and let it rest until 135°.
- Rest the meat for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Other Bison Recipes
Want more bison recipes? Try some of my favorites listed below!
Garlicky Bison Pot Roast is the perfect, warming meal when you’re looking for a traditional, wholesome dinner.
Sour Cream & Onion Bison Chuck Roast is a zesty, tangy twist on bison pot roast! Delicious and super kid friendly!
Bison Osso Buco is the perfect way to use up those bison shanks from your bison order! Tender, flavorful, and served with zesty gremolata.
Hearty Bison Chili is a great way to get a wholesome, hearty comfort meal packed with roasted veggies and tons of nutrients.
Barley & Bison Stew is another healthy, wholesome comfort meal perfect for fall, winter, or any time!
Bison Tenderloin FAQs
For medium-rare, pull the steaks from the oven at 130°F and let them rest 5-10 minutes. By the end of the rest, they should be 135°–the perfect temperature for medium-rare.
For rare, pull the steaks at 120° and let rest until 125°. For medium, pull at 135° and let it rest to a final temperature of 140°.
Bison tenderloin is incredibly tender. It is from a muscle that is not used that much on the animal, keeping it from being too tough.
Yes! You should rest the steaks 5-10 minutes before cutting so the juices can reabsorb.
Leave a Rating & Review!
If you try my bison tenderloin recipe, please let me know! I’d love to hear from you. Leave a rating and review below–I reply to every comment. 🙂
📖 Recipe
Juicy Oven Roasted Bison Tenderloin Steaks
Equipment
- oven-safe skillet such as cast iron
- tongs
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 4 bison tenderloin steaks 1 1/2 inches thick
- coarse salt for seasoning
- 3-4 tbsp butter softened
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, chopped
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil for searing
Instructions
- One hour prior to cooking, remove bison tenderloin steaks from the refrigerator. Pat them dry & sprinkle them with coarse sea salt on both sides. Let them sit at room temperature for one hour. See notes if house is warm.4 bison tenderloin steaks, coarse salt
- While the steaks are resting, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, and dried herbs. Set this aside until it is time to cook the steaks.3-4 tbsp butter, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Toward the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place an oven -safe skillet, such as cast iron, on your stove top and heat it to medium-high until nice and hot.
- Once the pan is nice and hot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado oil to the skillet. Once the oil spreads and glistens, add the steaks to the pan and leave them undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes.2-3 tbsp avocado oil
- Flip the steaks over using some tongs. Add the garlic butter to the pan and let it melt. Tip the pan so the butter pools to one end. Using a spoon, scoop the butter mixture over the steaks repeatedly for about 2 minutes. Turn the heat down if needed so the garlic and butter don't burn.
- Turn off the stove and carefully move the oven-safe skillet into the oven for the bison tenderloin to finish cooking. Cook at 400°F for 3-5 minutes– 3 minutes for rare, 4 for medium rare, 5 for medium. Check the internal temp with a thermometer–you want to pull them out about 5 degrees cooler than your desired final temp. See notes for final cooking temperature suggestions.
- Let steaks rest 5-10 minutes before slicing so the juices can reabsorb.
Video
Absolutely decadent! These tenderloin steaks are a treasure. So tender, flavorful, and delicious. The garlic butter takes this over the top!