Perfect Buffalo Burgers. Ground Bison meat is flavored with onion, rosemary, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. And with a special homemade secret sauce you’ve got a delicious version for a lower cholesterol burger.
If you enjoy cooking with bison, don’t miss my Bison Recipes category.
Is it Bison or Buffalo?
I’ve always said that if I had to kill my own food, I’d be a vegetarian.
I’ve also always claimed that if I were a vegetarian I’d miss hamburgers so much that I’d kill a cow to get one, if I had to.
For Buffalo burgers??? I’ll leave the killing of a bison to the experts. I don’t even think a konk on the head with my cast iron skillet would cause them to blink an eye. Have you ever seen one of those things in real life?
They snort and they’re big as all get out. They’re the bulldogs of the bovine world.
Did you know that there are about 500,000 bison in the United States and many thousands of them are right here in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming?
But is it Bison or Buffalo? American Bison are native to North America, South America and Europe. There are two buffalo species that live in Asia and Africa.
You simply should not see a package of meat labeled “buffalo”. And make sure you’re purchasing Bison meat from reputable ranchers.
Bison are my neighbors
Yes, I live in the Wild West and we have a small herd just a few miles south of Highlands Ranch and here’s a picture of my neighbors.
I’d like to introduce you to (from left to right) that’s Bill, Joe and little Joey Jr….
How to Cook Bison Meat
Did you know that bison is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork and chicken and even half the fat of turkey?
Ground bison is so lean you may need to turn your skillet down or spray it with non-stick spray.
How to Cook Bison:
- Lower heat
- Cook slower
- Think Pink
- Don’t overcook
If you’ve never eaten bison, the taste is very similar to beef, and with a slightly creamier texture. Delicious.
Recipe for Perfect Bison Burgers
This recipe is a combination of great flavors that would work well for turkey burgers or hamburgers and the sauce would work in many situations.
These burgers would be best grilled, but my Weber is still in hibernation, so I pan fried them in my cast iron skillet.
I hope you give these Bison Burgers a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. And if you have a favorite bison recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Looking for more Bison resources? Here’s a link to Bison Central: National Bison Association
Beer and Wine Pairing for Buffalo Burgers
Beer Pairing: Lightly malted Colorado Golden Ale. Wine Pairing: Malbec from Argentina would have the red and black fruits and the body to go well with this Perfect Bison burger.
More Bison Recipes
- Pan Seared Bison New York Strip Steaks
- Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema
- Bison Stew Recipe with Porter Ale
- Buffalo Burger with Spicy Creamy BBQ Sauce
And if you’re a burger fanatic like us, don’t miss my post which features a line up of Best Grilled Burgers recipes. I’m positive you’ll find something you’ll fall in love with.
And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.
Perfect Bison Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Cup onion diced, about 1 medium onion
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground buffalo meat
- For the Sauce:
- 1/4 Cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand
- 1/4 Cup ketchup
- 1/4 Cup mayonnaise
- Burger Garnishes
- 1 medium onion thin sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Marsala wine optional. To caramelize onions
- 4 slices tomato
- 4 leaves lettuce
- 4 hamburger buns toasted
Instructions
- For The Burgers:
- Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until almost soft. Set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, In a large bowl, combine egg, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper, Mix in cooled minced onion
- Add buffalo meat (bison) and shape mixture into four 1/2 inch thick patties. Chill up to 6 hours.
- When ready to cook, in a small bowl, combine bbq sauce, ketchup and mayo. Set aside.
- Cook patties for about 5 minutes per side in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or grill). Grill to an internal temperature of:Medium – 130 degreesMedium well – 135 degreesWell – 140 degrees
- To build your burger: Spread sauce on toasted buns and serve remaining sauce on the side for dipping. Place patties on bun and garnish with lettuce and tomato and thin sliced onion.
- Tip: Saute sliced onions in 2 tablespoons of marsala wine. This will caramelize the onions, adding a sweeter flavor than raw sliced onions.
Perfect Buffalo Burgers …It’s What’s For Dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
These were super good! Added a diced up chipotle pepper and minced garlic to the onions, and a squirt of hot sauce to the egg for a “slightly spicy bison burger.” my husband enjoyed as well, which is all I’m really looking for ❤️ thank you
Great recipe. We used it last night and the burgers turned out perfectly. Would also be great for regular beef burgers!
Fabulous! Thanks for the rating and review.
What is the bbq sauce that you use?
Also how do you access the older comments? This is happening in all of your recipes!
Thanks
Katherine
I like Stubbs Original or KC Masterpiece. I’ll email you separately about the older comments.
We love bison! Steaks, hamburgers, roasts and especially bison chili.
Thanks for making the recipe including the spices. They are healthy perfection.
Can you eliminate the egg?
Hi Sarah
The egg acts as a binder, holding everything together, so the burger won’t fall apart while cooking.
If you eliminate the egg, I’d eliminate the Worcestershire sauce also. You’ll still have flavor left from the rest of the spices.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your note.