Bison Burger
Instead of the usual beef burgers, try bison burgers! Bison meat is naturally lean, so it is an excellent alternative if you are trying to lower your fat and calorie intake. If you've avoided bison meat thinking it would have a gamey aftertaste, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The taste is similar to beef but a bit sweeter, and it's not gamey at all. Plus, the marbling in bison meat makes the lean meat juicier and more tender than beef.
The American bison has been called "buffalo" since the early 1600s, but it isn't a "true" buffalo. While all belong to the bovine family, the American bison is more closely related to the European bison, or wisent, than the Asian water buffalo or African buffalo.
Ground meat generally loses about 25 percent of its weight when cooked. If you want a generous bun-size burger, start with at least 6 ounces of 90/10 or 85/15 ground bison. Feel free to make the burgers larger for meat-lovers or smaller for young children or sliders. The recipe is easily scaled up or down.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground bison
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or vegetable oil or ghee, more as needed
- 4 hamburger buns
- Cheese, for topping, optional
- Tomatoes, sliced, for topping, optional
- Red onion, sliced, for topping, optional
- Lettuce, for topping, optional
- Dill pickles, sliced, for topping, optional
- Ketchup, for topping, optional
- Mustard, for topping, optional
- Mayonnaise, for topping, optional
- Burger sauce, for topping, optional