Perfect Bison 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.
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 Bison 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.
And did you know, that if you see a package of meat labeled “buffalo” that it’s probably imported Water Buffalo meat and not Bison. Which can be misleading to consumers. Make sure you are purchasing Bison 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 Bison 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
- Bison Chipotle Cheddar Cheeseburgers
- Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema
- Bison Stew Recipe with Porter Ale
Perfect Bison Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Cup onion diced, plus 1 onion sliced into rings for garnish
- 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
- 4 hamburger buns toasted
- 4 slices tomato
- 4 leaves lettuce
- For the Sauce:
- 1/4 Cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand
- 1/4 Cup ketchup
- 1/4 Cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- For the burgers: Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until softened; set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine egg, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper, Mix in cooled onion and buffalo meat Shape mixture into four 1/2 inch thick patties. Chill up to 6 hours.
- When ready to cook burgers, cook patties for about 5 minutes per side in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or grill).
- 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 caramelized onions.
Nutrition
Perfect Buffalo Burgers …It’s What’s For Dinner
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.
I never knew before that buffalo is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef and chicken! Your “JUICY PERFECT BISON BURGERS” sound so good!
Thanks so much Hadia
I have never had buffalo or bison meat, looks and and the seasoning sounds yum.
I hope you give it a try – and let me know what you think.
Such an informative post, I didn’t know that buffalo is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef and chicken! Your burger looks awesome! I need to try it!
I could never kill an animal either, but I don’t seem to have any problem eating them! These burgers look delightful.
I hear ya!
This looks like the ULTIMATE burger! I love me the sounds of that secret sauce too!
Thanks so much Brandi. And thanks for stopping by.
Love the sound of the flavors in these! And bison makes such a great burger.
Thanks Caroline – and thanks for stopping in.
Love bisin burgers.
Looks and sounds delicious! I’ve never tried Buffalo, but I cook venison quite a lot. Good advice on cooking a very lean meat!
Such a perfect burger. That picture looks like a gorgeous menu shot. I’m sure it tastes delicious.
I’m a fifth generation Wyoming rancher who has switched part of our ranch to buffalo. Thanks for helping the cause with the recipe. I’m not crazy about killing these majestic animals either. But by making it economically viable, the marketplace can keep a beautiful herd of 200 animals roaming free over 5000 unfenced acres on my small part of Wyoming.
Thanks for stopping by Jim and leaving a comment. I’ll be experimenting with a buffalo roast next, hope I don’t butcher the cause. 🙂