Grilled Bison Kebabs with Flatbread & Herb Salad

By Andrew Zimmern

A meal built for sharing. This is the way a huge part of the world eats, grilled meat at the center, bright herby salad, charred vegetables, and warm bread to bring it all together. Bison works beautifully here. It’s clean, deeply flavorful, and takes on the sweet-sour punch of pomegranate molasses and spices better than almost anything else. The small trick that changes everything? A little baking soda in the marinade. It helps the meat brown faster and stay incredibly tender, even with lean cuts.

Grilled Bison Kebabs

Ingredients

For the Bison Kebabs

2–3 pounds bison (eye round, top round, rump, or tenderloin), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons ground sumac
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tablespoons baharat spice (see below)
1 tablespoon baking soda
Kosher salt
Olive oil

Herb & Tomato Salad

Parsley, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Tomatoes, cut into chunks
Shallots, thinly sliced
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Kosher salt

Grilled Accompaniments

Hot peppers (Serrano, Fresno, or similar)
Onion, cut into large pieces
Olive oil
Kosher salt

To Serve

Large thin flatbreads
Labneh (or thick yogurt)
Olives
Extra lemon (charred, optional)
Olive oil

Baharat Spice Mix

5 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons finely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon ground star anise
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix and store in an airtight container.

Instructions

Marinate the Bison

In a large bowl, combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac, garlic, baharat, and baking soda. Add the bison and mix well to coat. Season lightly with salt. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.

Tip: The baking soda tenderizes quickly, so 30 to 45 minutes is enough. Longer marinating helps flavor, not texture.

Make the Herb Salad

Combine parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, and shallots. Season with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside.

Prep the Vegetables

Toss peppers and onions with olive oil and salt. Grill over medium-high heat until lightly charred but still vibrant. Remove and set aside.

Tip: Grill vegetables separately from the meat. They cook at different speeds, and you’ll get better texture on everything.

Grill the Bison

Thread bison onto flat skewers. Lightly oil and season with salt.

Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before grilling. Grill over medium-high heat, about 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 minutes after turning. Cook to medium rare. Because of the marinade and baking soda, the meat will char quickly while staying tender inside. Rest briefly before serving,