Bite into buffalo pie 

If you are like me and are completely in love with that divine buffalo milk cheese, then the high protein, low cholesterol, quick cooking meat will be something that you will just have to try. 

The health benefits of buffalo milk have been widely appreciated and now in Australia we have several companies producing beautiful buffalo milk products that would rival any of the Italian ones.

Descended from the Asian wild buffalo, water buffaloes have been in existence in Australia since the 1920s and the export trade for buffaloes to Asia has been very active for years.

The milk is high in Vitamin A and also extremely high in calcium and iron. It has a much lower cholesterol level to cow's milk.  It is greatly higher in protein than that of cow,  making the milk and meat a fantastic health food for both men and women.

The meat itself is very low in fat with a less saturated fat than that of beef and lamb, thus it does require careful cooking.

Quick grilling, barbequing, pan searing or slow low roasting and braising are some ways to cook buffalo. The slow and low temperature rule for roasting ensures that the meat stays tender and full of its own juices.  

The taste of buffalo meat is similar to beef. The  white fat and darker red colour to the meat itself is due to more pigmentation and less marbled fat throughout the meat.

Buffalo also tends to have a slightly sweeter, richer flavour than beef but fear not, it still comes in all your favorite cuts, so you can still have your osso bucco, rib eye, tenderloin, porterhouse and T-bone.

Buffalo producers and chefs are using buffalo cuts to create award winning pies, small goods, sausages and deli goods.

Crave Sydney International Food Festival saw the Coopers Pie n’ Pale Challenge giving first prize to Daniel Moore  from the Arthouse Hotel in Sydney for his “Northern Territory Buffalo Pie” made with a cream friache pastry.

This delicious combination delighted the judges beating other gourmet pie delights such as slow braised pork belly, roast celeriac and black currant, spiced Moroccan lamb and lentil and rabbit with gooseberry jam.

So, if Buffalo is something that is starting to take your fancy and a pie sounds like an easy way to start, you can pick up some great combinations at Pennisi Distributors in Wooloongabba who stock frozen, all natural, fat free Gourmet Buffalo meat pies, sausage rolls, pasties and family pies. 

These are distributed and made by Cape York Buffalo Co who specialise in chemical free, free-range Buffalo products. They  use a breed cross between the Italian Riverine and the Swamp Asian buffalo for optimum  flavour, tenderness and quality.

For buffalo products and orders check out Australian Buffalo Industry Council on www.buffaloaustralia.org