Bison Burger Recipe
An insanely delicious Bison Burger recipe with whiskey onions, smokey sauce and crumbled gorgonzola cheese!
Ingredients
Whiskey Onions:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil sub avocado oil
- 1 sweet yellow onion halved and sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons whiskey divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Bison Burgers:
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cheese slices swiss cheese, pepperjack, or white American
- lettuce
- 3 hamburger buns regular or gluten-free
- gorgonzola cheese crumbled
Smoky Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; swirl to coat the pan. Add in sliced onions and 2-3 tablespoons whiskey. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Move onions around the pan slowly as they begin to cook. Cook low and slow for up to 30 minutes, moving around every so often - the longer you cook them, the more caramelized they will get - alternatively you can simply sauté on high heat for a more charred result. Add in remaining whiskey right before you remove from heat and serve.
- Make Burgers: While the onions cook down, put 1 pound ground bison, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Divide bison into equal portions and form into balls. Gently flatten and form into a patty. Place on a plate and sprinkle the tops a bit more with additional salt and pepper. At this point you can store in the refrigerator for later, if you are prepping them ahead of time.
- Grill: Ensure grill grates are clean and turn grill to medium-high heat. Spray grates with olive oil (or other non-stick cooking spray). Place bison patties over direct heat and let cook 3-4 minutes per side or until they have reached your desired doneness/internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer. 135-145℉ is a medium-rare burger. If adding cheese to the burgers, add when there are about 2-3 minutes left in your cook time. Remove burgers from grill and place on a plate; let rest 5-8 minutes.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke; set aside. Feel free to double the recipe, if needed.
- Build Burgers + Serve: Place lettuce on top of the bottom bun followed by some Smoky Sauce. Place a burger patty on top. Top burger with Whiskey Onions and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Place other half of bun on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Bison Mixture: I don't normally add an egg to my burgers, but if you prefer it that way, go for it! Also, you can add in additional seasonings, if you prefer - here is what I would recommend in addition to the kosher salt and ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon onion powder + 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic.
- USDA: please note the USDA recommends that all meat be cooked fully.
- Gluten-Free: simply ensure you are using a gluten-free bun.
Nutrition
Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 625mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 242mg | Iron: 6mg
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