Here's my honest review of Northstar Bison, a small business that ships their regeneratively raised meats. They offer bison, beef, elk, pork, rabbit, turkey, chicken, and more—all raised as nature intended. Most of their products are considered to be low histamine, which can be especially helpful for those healing from chronic illnesses.
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When it comes to regeneratively raised meats, it doesn't get better than Northstar Bison. Northstar prides themselves in providing deeply nourishing foods for people who are seeking to improve their health.
Northstar Bison's family ranch is located in Cameron, Wisconsin and they ship their meats all throughout the United States.
Personally, I've been ordering from Northstar Bison for over three years. This is a company that has a special place in my heart. They really do care about their customers and go above and beyond to provide the highest quality products.
Here's my comprehensive review of Northstar Bison—including the pros, cons, and what to expect when ordering.
Northstar Bison Review
Northstar Bison has a huge selection of meats, fish, organs, raw cheese, pet food, and skincare products. They are committed to raising their livestock "as nature intended". As a result of them caring properly for their animals and their land, their products are of the highest quality.
Most of the meats you'll find at the grocery store are conventionally raised in very unhealthy and inhumane conditions. Northstar Bison is different. They care deeply about being stewards of their land and treating food as medicine.
Their website is a great resource to learn more about what sets their products apart from most other farms.
All Northstar Bison products are:
Raised As Nature Intended (in it's native environment, on it's intended diet)
Raised Organically (no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or chemical fertilizers)
100% Humanely Harvested
100% Soy, Corn, Gluten Free
100% Glyphosate Free
100% Species Pure
100% Preservative Free
100% Added Hormone Free
100% Antibiotic Free
Because I've been ordering from Northstar Bison for so long, I've had a chance to try most of their products. Their bison and elk are hands down the best I've ever tried. The rich flavor is unmatched. Even just looking at the color and texture of the meat, you can tell the animals were raised well. I always feel so good after eating Northstar's meats!
I've had a chance to interact with several of their team members over the past few years, and their passion for what they do is so evident. It feels good to support a family business that works so hard to provide real, nourishing food!
I'd highly recommend Northstar Bison to anyone, especially those that care about where their food comes from!
What are the best products from Northstar Bison?
Truthfully, I haven't found anything I don't like from Northstar Bison. But these are some of my top favorites:
Ground bison and beef
Bison chuck roast
Bison osso buco (or shank)
Bison bone marrow
Bison old world organ blend
Bison ribeye
Corn & soy free pork
Elk steak
If you're into organ meats, Northstar Bison has some really unique options like thymus, adrenal glands, pancreas, bull fries, liver, and ovaries. They also have everything you need to make your own bone broth or tallow!
Enjoying some elk and bison steak! We love using the reverse sear method on Northstar steaks.
How do they package their products? Is the meat frozen upon arrival?
Northstar Bison packages all of their meats with great care. In my experience, the meat has always arrived in a sturdy box. Inside the box, the meat is protected with an insulated cooler. Typically there is dry ice to keep it cold. For us, the meat has always been frozen upon arrival.
Even the labels are beautifully designed. They obviously have put effort into every step of the process to ensure the best experience for their customers. I've order meats from many different companies and Northstar definitely takes the cake for packaging!
Does Northstar Bison offer any discounts or promo codes?
Yes, Northstar Bison has generously offered my community 10% off any order with the coupon code RIBEYERACH and my affiliate link here.
Other ways to save:
Free shipping on orders over a certain value
Subscribe and save
Join their loyalty program to earn "bison bucks"
Keep an eye out items on sale
Look for cheaper cuts such as ground meats
Is their bison and beef 100% grass-fed and finished?
Yes, all bison, beef, and lamb from Northstar are 100% grass-fed and finished. Learn more about how they raise their livestock on their website here.
Does Northstar Bison practice field harvesting?
Yes, 100% of Northstar's bison and elk are field harvested at the time of writing this article. This is something that really sets Northstar apart from other companies.
As stated on their website:
"Our zero stress field harvest is a peaceful harvest which honors and dignifies the animal while better preserving a high quality eating experience. Field harvest is certainly less efficient than industry-standard assembly line slaughter systems but an animal's quality of life, down to the final millisecond, is nonnegotiable."
Learn more about field harvesting here.
Is Northstar Bison meat considered "low histamine"?
Yes, Northstar Bison meat is all un-aged unless otherwise noted. Many people dealing with chronic illnesses or histamine intolerance find they do really well with Northstar's meats.
Not only do they offer low histamine meats, but they are very knowledgeable about histamine intolerance and are passionate about helping people find healing from chronic symptoms.
Does the meat being frozen affect the taste?
In my opinion, not at all. I actually prefer the meat to be frozen because it keeps for so long and the taste remains fresh! I typically thaw the meat in a bowl of water or in the fridge. When I was eating "low histamine" I used to cook the meat straight from frozen.
Are Northstar Bison's meats corn and soy free?
Yes, all of Northstar Bison's meats are corn and soy free. If you've looked for this, you'll know how rare it is to find! They offer:
Corn & soy free pork
Corn & soy free chicken
Corn & soy free turkey
Many people that are sensitive to meats like pork or chicken find they feel great eating it when it's corn and soy free. This was definitely the case for me early on in my healing journey.
What kind of organ blends does Northstar Bison offer?
Northstar Bison has the most unique selection of organ blends I've ever encountered! This is such a great and easy way to get in the nutrients of organ meats.
Here are some of the organ blends they offer:
Bison Old World Blend (includes 7 different organs)
Bison, Beef, Elk, Pork, & Lamb organ ground blends
Bison ovary blend
Bison testicle blend
Liver infused bone broth (this actually tastes really good)
Believe it or not, these all actually have a really mild flavor! I've personally tried them all. Including the testicle blend! When you add them in to recipes you can hardly notice any change in the taste. So if you're feeling adventurous, give one of their organ blends a try!
I love that they offer this, it's very on brand for Northstar as they embrace the idea of eating "nose to tail" and leaving nothing to waste.
Are there any "cons" to ordering from Northstar Bison?
The only potential downside is the cost. You'll notice that their meats are significantly more expensive than what you'll find at the grocery store. This is to be expected, as it's very costly to raise meat the way Northstar Bison does.
The prices are fair given the level of quality. Of course, not everyone can afford pasture raised meats, and that's okay. Eat what you can afford and try to vote with your dollar where you can!
In Summary
Northstar Bison is hands down one of the best places to source regenerative meats from. I'm always confident that whatever I order from Northstar will be top quality. I love the way they embrace the idea of using "food as medicine"—their meats have made a significant impact on my own healing journey.
If you don't have a good local source for meats, I'd highly recommend giving Northstar Bison a try. I'm grateful everyday for companies like this that work hard to provide nourishing foods.
I hope this article was helpful! I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Be sure to follow along on Instagram and YouTube for more recipes, reviews, and fun content!
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