Ground beef, step aside! Bison burgers are where it's at. These thick, juicy patties are stuffed with blue cheese crumbles and topped with crispy bacon, caramelized onions, ripe tomato and tangy dijon mustard. Bison meat is much leaner than beef and has more protein. It's also rich in iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fats. If you're going to go for it with a big, juicy burger, bison meat is a fantastic, healthier choice.
Now I know what you're thinking? Isn't the taste of bison kind of gamey? The answer is no. The flavor is very similar to beef and I would describe it as just a tiny bit sweeter. I actually prefer it to beef. Bison meat isn't easily found in restaurants but if you hunt around a bit, you can find it in most grocery stores. In places like Whole Foods, they often carry it behind the butcher counter, but you can usually find it with the packaged meats, lurking next to the grass fed beef. It's also available at Costco!
Since bison meat is very low in fat, I add an egg in this patty mixture to help hold it all together while it's on the grill. If you're making these in a skillet, you could probably leave that out. The grated onion in the mixture helps keep the patties moist as they cook.
Tips for making juicy bison burgers
Handle it gently. Over mixing will result in tough burgers.
Only cook what you need that day. Reheating bison meat is a surefire way to dry it out.
These are best cooked medium rare. You can certainly cook them to the temperature of your liking but the more cooked, the drier they become.
Now...what is a juicy lucy? A juicy lucy is a burger stuffed with cheese that becomes molten and spills out of the middle when you cut it in half or bite into it. I call these a juicy BLUECY because this recipe calls for blue cheese crumbles. I highly recommend blue cheese as the salty, funky bite just adds so much flavor, but if you're not a fan, use whatever kind of cheese you like. It will be delicious.
Juicy Bluecy Bison Burger
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground bison meat
- 4 tbsp blue cheese crumbles
- ⅓ cup grated onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp bread crumbs
- few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- Buns and burger toppings
Instructions
- Gently combine all of the ingredients except the blue cheese with your hands. Be careful not to over mix as that will result in tough burgers.
- Separate meat mixture into 4 even chunks. Split each chunk in half and press into thin patties. Place 1 tbsp of blue cheese on 4 of the thin patties. Top with other patties and form into a puck shape, encasing a thick burger patty with blue cheese.
- Chill covered in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the ingredients to come together.
- When ready to cook, heat your grill or skillet to high. Coat burger patties lightly in neutral oil.
- Grill on each side for 4-5 minutes for medium.
- Serve immediately with your favorite burger toppings.
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