In honor of National Empanada Day, and my love of Central and South American recipes, I was looking to make a recipe that honored both the traditional recipes as well as the flavor of bison meat. The outcome is this empanada recipe that uses lots of the traditional seasonings and ingredients but with a few tweaks to emphasize the bison and offer some more healthier options.
Hard boiled eggs are a very common ingredient in empanadas but due to my strong, lack of love for hard boiled eggs, I went ahead and did not include those. I also prefer golden raisins over dark raisins because of their fruitier flavor, the way they are processed and their higher levels of flavonoids which are thought to provide health benefits and antioxidant effects.
The Chilean Pebre Sauce is a condiment must! The flavor is bright and spicy plus adds a lot of freshness. This pairs great with the empanadas as it adds a fun layer of depth in flavor. And it doesn't hurt that it is easy and quick to make and lasts well in the fridge and can be used as a condiment with many other recipes.
Heat 1 TB butter in a skillet over medium high heat
Add bison and season with salt and pepper
Cook bison until just browned but not cooked through
Remove bison with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving any leftover juices and bits in the skillet
In the same skillet, lower heat to medium and add the 2nd TB of butter
Add onion and bell pepper, sauté until onions are translucent, about 6-8 min
Add in cumin, paprika, oregano and cayenne
Stir to combine and cook for an additional minute
Mix in chicken broth, salt, pepper and sugar
Add the bison meat back into the skillet
Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is evaporated, around 10-20 min
Stir in raisins
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed
Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill – a few hours in the fridge is recommended but if you are short on time, you can move to the next step once the mixture is completely cooled
Once ready to use, remove mixture and stir in olives
Heat the oven to 375 OR an air fryer to 350
Remove empanada dough from the freezer about 10 min before using to thaw (do not leave out too long, it will become difficult to work with)
Lay out dough on a working surface, leave plastic layer under the dough to help fold the dough over
Place a spoonful of mixture in the center of each dough disc
Fold the dough over the mixture to meet up with the other half and press to seal (remove plastic layer if left on)
Crimp along the edge with a fork
If using the over, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven
Cook for 20 min, rotating the baking sheet halfway through at 10 min
If using the air fryer, place empanadas in one layer in the tray and leave space between each one
Cook for 15 – 20 min checking halfway through
Remove from air fryer or oven and cool slightly before enjoying
Chilean Pebre Sauce
Combine all ingredients except for the water
Mix well and taste, add salt as needed
Slowly add in cold water just until it reaches the top of the mixture
Stir again to combine
Put in the fridge to chill, flavors will develop longer it is chilled
