These Buffalo Burgers will elevate your burger game. Ground Bison meat is flavored with onion, rosemary, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. And drizzled with a special homemade secret sauce, you’ve got a delicious burger and a burger lower in cholesterol than beef.
Cooking with Bison
If you’ve been curious about cooking with bison meat, this Buffalo Burger recipe is a great place to start. You can grill or pan-sear this burger, and the flavors are incredible.
You can substitute ground bison for any recipe calling for ground beef. So with confidence, you can throw a simple seasoned ground bison patty on the grill. And with just a slight adjustment to the cooking time, end up with a delicious grilled bison burger.
But for this recipe, we’re pulling out all the stops, ramping up and layering flavors using rosemary, thyme and Worcestershire. A bit of brown sugar is added to boost those warm savory flavors.
Topped with a secret sauce, the end result is a burger like none other you’ve never had.
If you enjoy cooking with bison, don’t miss my Bison Recipes category.
How To Cook Bison, General Rules
Ground bison is so lean you may need to turn your skillet down or spray it with non-stick spray.
- Lower heat
- Cook slower
- Think Pink
- Don’t overcook
Is It Bison or Buffalo?
The American Buffalo is a North American species of Bison. Currently there are about 20,500 Plains Bison in conservation herds in the United States. And about 420,000 in commercial herds. Many thousands of them are right here in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
But is it Bison or Buffalo? Bison are not the same as Buffalo. American Bison are native to North America. Bison are large animals and have a prominent hump. I like to refer to them as the Bulldogs of the bovine world.
On the other hand, there are two buffalo species that live in Asia and Africa.
If you’re familiar with the Cowboy classic song Home On The Range, “Oh give me a home where the Buffalo roam”, which is the State song of my home state of Kansas, please feel free to call these Buffalo Burgers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 Pound Ground Bison Meat
- Sweet Onion, or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 Egg
- Neutral Oil: For frying onions. Canola or vegetable oil work well here. I don’t recommend olive oil.
- Seasonings: Freshly ground black pepper, Rosemary, Thyme, Kosher Salt, Worcestershire Sauce.
- To Build That Burger: Tomato, lettuce and secret sauce.
Ingredients To Make That Special Sauce
- This special sauce for Buffalo Burgers is simple. An equal amount of your favorite barbeque Sauce, Mayonnaise and Ketchup.
- Just whisk it together and let it sit while you make those burgers.
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine egg, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Mix in cooked, cooled minced onion
- Step 2: Add buffalo meat (bison) and shape mixture into four ½ inch thick burger patties. The patties will be loose, so chill up to 6 hours or in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Step 3: These bison burgers most certainly be grilled, but if your outdoor grill is in hibernation during colder months, you can pan sear bison burgers in a cast iron skillet on the stove, or I like using my carbon steel pan. Both of these pans generate a good amount of well distributed heat to get that perfect crunchy quick sear we like on a burger.
If you’ve never eaten bison, the taste is very similar to beef, and with a slightly richer, sweeter flavor and creamier texture.
Bison graze in open grasslands and are not typically raised in cattle type pens. And because Bison are primarily range fed and eat grass, their meat has a lower fat content than beef. Bison meat has fewer calories and less saturated fat than beef, and a relative proportion of unsaturated to saturated fats is better for health, especially heart health. source: Webmd
Bison meat is not as plentiful as beef and therefore carries a higher price tag.
When looking to purchase “buffalo” meat, you simply should not see a package of meat labeled “buffalo”. Packaged meat should indicate bison.
Tips For Success:
- Don’t over-handle the meat: Use your hands to mix the seasonings and bison meat together. Just like you would when mixing good Old Fashioned Meatloaf. Just don’t over mix, which may cause the burgers to be tough. Mix just enough so patties hold their shape.
- Practice Your Knife Skills: Cut those onions in as small of pieces that you can. Too large of onion chunks may cause the burgers to fall apart.
- Don’t skip cooking the onions before making patties. Sauteeing onions imparts a sweeter flavor and will result in a smoother texture.
- Use your digital read thermometer to gauge internal temperature of burgers while cooking.
- Don’t skip toasting that bun. Just smear the inside of each bun with a little butter or margarine. Sear or grill until toasty.
Perfect Bison Burger Recipe (Buffalo Burgers)
Buffalo Burgers are a delicious alternative to beef or turkey burgers. Made with juicy lean ground bison and topped with this delicious secret sauce, you’ll find this buffalo burger a favorite burger and a regular in your meal plans.
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.
And one of my favorite recipes to cook with bison meat is this Bison Steak Recipe. The original title read Buffalo Bill Steaks, and it’s a fun recipe where bison is pan-seared with sliced bell peppers and a mustard 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.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.
Perfect Bison Burger Recipe (Buffalo 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
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground buffalo meat
- For the Sauce:
- ¼ Cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand
- ¼ Cup ketchup
- ¼ 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 ½ inch thick patties. The burger patties will be loose, so chill up to 6 hours or place in freezer for 20 minutes.
- When ready to cook, in a small bowl, combine bbq sauce, ketchup and mayo. Set aside.
- Cook patties for about 5-7 minutes per side in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or grill). It is recommended to cook to 160 degrees internal temperature.
- 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.
Notes
-
- Use your hands to mix the seasonings and bison meat together. Just like you would when mixing good Old Fashioned Meatloaf. Just don’t over mix, which may cause the burgers to be tough. Mix just enough so patties hold their shape.
-
- Cut those onions in as small of pieces that you can. Too large of onion chunks may cause the burgers to fall apart.
-
- Don’t skip cooking the onions before making patties. Sauteeing onions imparts a sweeter flavor and will result in a smoother texture.
-
- Use your digital read thermometer to gauge internal temperature of burgers while cooking.
- Don’t skip toasting that bun. Just smear the inside of each bun with a little butter or margarine. Sear or grill until toasty.
Nutrition
Perfect Buffalo Burgers …It’s What’s For Dinner
This recipe for Buffalo Burgers was originally published January 2010, and updated February 2024 with step by step instructions.
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.
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. 🙂
We love buffalo burgers. For a while we were getting packs of 1/3 pound patties from Buffalo Gal – pricey but delicious.
One of the nice things about buffalo is that you really can’t use antibiotics or feed supplements on them, so they are one of the most organic meats out there.
I didn’t know that about antibiotics or supplements. Great name for a buffalo meat supplier! Thanks for stopping by Dave.
YES I am from New Mexico
I usually stick with pigs, cows and chickens. I have heard that buffalo is good, but I just can’t do it. Your burgers look great. I am having burgers next week – I might try this recipe with just plain ol’ cow instead of buffalo. Great Post!
I love bison burgers!! great post!
Your post made me smile. I like buffalo. It’s not a meat that is readily available but, I have enjoyed it in a restaurant. Pretty good. Yours looks wonderful!
I’m starting to realize it’s obscurity with all of the comments. I guess I’m lucky that it’s always available here in Denver. Safeway has it, Whole foods…. Thanks for stopping by Velva
I would love to eat buffalo or bison more often, I rarely see it here. Thanks for the cooking tips!
You’re welcome Natashya. Thanks for stopping by.
So so true Lea Ann! I don’t think I could kill my own food. Fish or seafood maybe but not meat. Thanks for the tips on cooking buffalo. We don’t really see it here but I’m going to look out for it! 🙂
I’ve never had buffalo but I definitely want to try it! I love all of the seasonings you put into these and caramelized onions make everything taste better.
Thanks for stopping by Joanne
A friend of my husband has a family farm somewhere in Kansas (no, I have no idea where) that has a herd of buffalo. He has always said that if we want, he could have one butchered for us. Except I think I would need a much, much bigger freezer. And a much, much bigger wallet. It sure is tempting though!
Love that adorable condiment dish!
Yup, you’d have to buy an additional freezer. Thanks Karen.
I tried it about a year ago. The leanness of the meat caused me concern so I mixed it with some beef. I wasn’t crazy about it. I ALMOST bought a buffalo tenderloin but at the time it was more than double the cost of a beef one (I think it was ~$140.)
My favorite part of the buffalo is their wings. Taste just like chicken.
Love the wings too Chris. It’s amazing they’re so small for such a large critter. 😉 As always thanks for stopping by.