Have you ever tried a good Buffalo Burger Recipe? If not, no time like the present! Although bison meat is quite lean, there are still ways to make it juicier, which I share in this recipe. Serve these tasty burgers with a side of Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw or Potato Salad with Dill and let the good times roll!
Of all the game animals Scott has brought home over the years, bison is my favorite! Bison meat is not gamey and resembles the taste of beef. But the added benefit is that bison meat is way healthier!
For the last three years, I've been trying to perfect this buffalo burger recipe (technically bison). It's been that long since Scott brought home 440 pounds of bison meat from one of his hunts. That's not a typo either, 440 pounds!
After many tries, I am finally happy with this Buffalo Burger Recipe. Who knew the missing ingredient was bacon grease? But don't worry, I only use a tablespoon.
The Best Buffalo-Bison Burger Recipe!
Now, let's talk about the combination of ingredients that make up the absolute best bison burgers. Bison meat is very lean, so lean in fact that suet is usually added to the ground meat as a binding agent.
Because the meat is so lean, I always add olive oil to my bison burgers. This time, however, I had a bowl of bacon grease on the counter from that mornings' bacon and eggs.
I decided to roll the dice and add some to the meat mixture, and boy, am I glad I did!
To further bind the ground bison, I added an egg, and a slice of bread. I didn't have breadcrumbs on hand and remembered that mom used to add a slice of bread to her kofta kabob mixture.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, using your hands. Make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined
2. Divide the meat in half, then in fourths, and finally into nine equally-sized portions. You should have enough for nine 4 oz patties.
3. Form the meat into patties using your hand, or a hamburger press. Place wax paper between the patties and freeze until ready to eat.
4. Cook for approximately five minutes per side (either in a frying pan or on the grill).
Tip: Do not press down on the burgers as they cook, this releases all the juices, resulting in a dry burger.
5. Top with your favorite hamburger fixings and serve.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Did you know that there is a difference between buffalos and bison? It seems that most people use the two names interchangeably, which is what I do in this post. This way people searching for either term can find this recipe.
However, bison and buffalo are two different creatures altogether; residing in different continents in fact. This fact has been drummed into us ever since Scott brought home the bison meat.
Buffalo can be found in Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe, while bison reside in America and Europe.
Although some have been domesticated, there are other species, like the Cape buffalo, which can be dangerous. Have you seen the size of those horns?
Other differences in their appearance include their coat. Buffalo are not wooly like bison and don't have the beard that bison are known for.
Another difference is that bison have a hump, and buffalos don't. In fact, once you compare the two, you'll see they look nothing alike.
Bison is lean in fat and high in protein. The fact that it tastes so good is definitely an added bonus. There are many ways to make this bison burger recipe even healthier.
One way to make the recipe healthier is by replacing the bacon grease with olive oil. Or grill the burgers, instead of frying them. Another idea is to replace the cheese with low-fat cheese or skip it altogether.
As mentioned earlier in the post, bison meat is very lean. Although we're trying to rectify that by adding oil or great, an egg and bread, we still have to figure out how not to dry out the bison burgers as they cook.
Although I LOVE charred meat (ok burned, who am I kidding), bison burgers should not be overcooked. For me, medium is my happy place. Yours might be different, just keep in mind you don't want to overcook the patties.
The following list will give you some ideas on what goes well on bison burgers.
Sauces and Spreads:
ketchup
mustard
mayo
thousand island dressing
barbecue sauce
chipotle mayo
Vegetables:
lettuce
tomato
red onions
spinach
arugula
freshly sliced jalapenos
Grilled vegetables:
grilled sweet onions
grilled mushrooms
Other:
cheese
bacon
fried egg
- You'll notice in the picture that I served my burger with bacon, but turkey bacon is another great option.
- To further cut down on calories, leave the mayo off and replace it with mustard instead.
- My favorite way of cutting down on calories and carbs is to use Thomas' Lite English muffins instead of hamburger buns. They're not as "bready" as hamburger buns and have fewer calories/carbs, but you still get to have bread, yay!
- If you're really watching your carbs, serve the burger wrapped in butter lettuce. The soft leaves are the perfect shape and size for burgers.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Best Bison Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. bison burger
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 3 cloves roasted garlic pressed
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 T. bacon grease (or olive oil)
- 1 slice white bread (torn in small chunks)
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, using your hands. Make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined
- Divide the meat in half, then in fourths, and finally into nine equally-sized portions. You should have enough for nine 4 oz patties.
- Form the meat into patties using your hand, or a hamburger press. Place wax paper between the patties and freeze until ready to eat.
- Cook for approximately five minutes per side (either in a frying pan or on the grill).
- Do not press down on the burgers as they cook, this releases all the juices, resulting in a dry burger.
- Top with your favorite hamburger fixings and serve.
Notes
- You'll notice in the picture that I served my burger with bacon, but turkey bacon is another great option.
- To further cut down on calories, leave the mayo off and replace it with mustard instead.
- My favorite way of cutting down on calories and carbs is to use Thomas' Lite English muffins instead of hamburger buns. They're not as "bready" as hamburger buns and have fewer calories/carbs, but you still get to have bread, yay!
- If you're really watching your carbs, serve the burger wrapped in butter lettuce. The soft leaves are the perfect shape and size for burgers.
Fancy says
I added green onion, just love this recipe! Bison is so much healthier than ground beef yum!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Fancy Nancy! Thanks for the review, it's much appreciated! 🙂
Alycia Heese says
some genuinely select content on this web site, saved to my bookmarks.
Sheila Booker says
I love bison, it tastes much better than hamburger.