Celebrate National Bison Month with Us!
July marks two celebrations we love at The Fort – National Bison Month and National Grilling Month! As a restaurant inspired by the foods eaten along the Santa Fe Trail, The Fort has long honored the bold, hearty flavors of the Old West through a menu rooted in culinary history.
Bison have roamed our continent for tens of thousands of years. Ancestors of today’s bison existed nearly 120,000 years ago and by the time the first Europeans arrived in the 1600s, estimates are that there were upward of 60 million buffalo living in what today is North America.
The Plains tribes relied on bison for food, clothes, shelter and trade. The indigenous people respected the buffalo, admiring its strength, intelligence, speed and character, and they believed that anyone who ate bison flesh would gain some of the same attributes. Not surprisingly, American Indians developed several rituals surrounding killing these magnificent animals and always honored the source of food for the tribe.
Between 1830 and 1860, nearly all buffalo were slaughtered by Americans trying to meet the hunger for bison hides and bison tongues in Europe and the Eastern states, and by 1890, barely 300 buffalo were left. President Theodore Roosevelt urged Congress to establish wildlife preserves, and gradually bison herds began to flourish.
When The Fort opened in 1963, bison had become a largely mythical creature, with small herds seen only by lucky travelers in national parks. Thankfully, herds were expanding quickly in both size and number by the 21st century. Because of conservation efforts and the ranching industry, there are now more than 400,000 bison in North America.
At The Fort, we’re proud to serve a variety of bison dishes that honor this incredible animal’s legacy. In fact, we serve more buffalo steaks than any other independently owned restaurant in the country — over 80,000 buffalo entrées each year.
One of our most craveable summer staples? The Buffalo BBQ Ribs — slow-cooked and lathered in our house-made Jack Daniel’s Bourbon BBQ sauce. Smoky, tender and packed with flavor, this dish is a must-try for any BBQ lover and a perfect way to celebrate National Grilling Month.
From those fall-off-the-bone ribs to our tender herb butter buffalo filet mignon, each dish on our menu captures the spirit and refined flavors of the Old West. During your next visit, don’t miss guest favorites like the roasted bison marrow bones, Josefa’s buffalo empanadas and even Rocky Mountain oysters for the bold at heart.
Plus, bison isn’t just delicious — it’s also nutritious! It’s high in protein and rich in essential B vitamins, iron and zinc. It’s also significantly lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol than beef.
Here’s to bison, BBQ and Shinin' Times shared at The Fort. WAUGH!