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
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 medium onion thin sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Marsala wine
- 1 Cup onion diced
- 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 the 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 minced 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 thin sliced onion.
Notes
Nutrition
Perfect Buffalo Burgers …It’s What’s For Dinner
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
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.
I was fortunate to be able to try a variety of red meat on my recent visit to Crested Butte, CO. I found buffalo and elk delicious! This looks like an awesome hamburger!
I had elk medallions at an Estes Park restaurant that were WONderful. I’ve also had friends try to prepare it and did-not-like-it-at-all
I think there’s a trick to Elk. Thanks so much for stopping by