This bison burger is a must-try summer burger! Juicy bison patties are combined with sun-dried tomatoes, spices and chipotle sauce for some kick. The buns are lightly toasted on the grill and the burger is finished off with some melted Havarti cheese, caramelized onions and fresh greens.
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Big Flavor, No Filler: Smoky, Spiced & Grill-Ready
The bison patties have just the right amount of spices and aren’t overloaded with filler ingredients. They are perfect for backyard BBQ's, Father's Day, Labor Day or any time you feel like grilling outdoors on a beautiful day.
Chipotle sauce adds a bit of spicy, smoky taste to the lean meat that I absolutely love, but if you’re not down with spicy foods, just skip on the sauce and go with your favorite condiments.
This burger would also taste great with some crispy bacon strips, turnip French fries and grilled avocado on the side.
Featured Comment
From Vanessa: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This burger was to die for! Definitely making this again on Father's Day!"
Ingredients
- yellow onions - Yellow onions and Spanish onions are the best for caramelizing.
- balsamic vinegar (not pictured) - Takes the caramelized onions to another level of deliciousness!
- ground bison meat - Bison meat is leaner than beef and I enjoy the flavor more. Good ground meat is bright and fresh looking. You can find it at local butcher shops, farmers' markets and sometimes in large supermarkets.
- sun-dried tomatoes - The kind that are oil-packed (they will be drained from the oil).
- chipotle sauce - You can make your own or use store-bought. You can substitute with your favorite hot sauce or omit it if you don't like the heat.
- hamburger buns (not pictured) - My favorites are brioche, potato rolls and sesame seed.
- Toppings - Havarti cheese slices, salad greens, tomato slices, chipotle sauce or my smoky maple burger sauce.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Chef's Note: If you are pressed for time, you can skip the caramelized onions, but they do add some great flavor, moisture and texture to the burger. You can also try these butter sautéed mushrooms and onions. Although ground bison sticks together well, you can add an egg to the raw mixture if desired.
Best Cheese for Bison Burgers
White Cheddar: You can’t go wrong with your classic white cheddar for bison burgers. It is bold and tangy and complements all types of burgers nicely.
Havarti: For a good melty cheese that is buttery and pairs well with the lean bison meat, you could go with a slice of Havarti like I do in this recipe.
Monterrey Jack: Monterrey Jack also melts well and is mild and buttery. You can get it in Pepper Jack style to add some heat to your burger.
🍔 I also make this bison cheeseburger dip recipe that you might like!
How to Make Bison Burgers
For the caramelized onions (optional):
- In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and sauté them for a few minutes, until soft.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown (for 30 minutes or more).
For the bison burgers:
Step 1. Make the patties. Mix the ground bison meat with the sun dried tomatoes, diced onions, garlic, chipotle sauce and spices. Shape into 4 patties.
Step 2. Grill the burgers. Grill the bison patties over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side. For the cheese: If you want the cheese melted, place the Havarti slices on top of the patties about 1-2 minutes before the burgers are done, with the grill lid closed.
👩🏻🍳 Chef's Note: Alternatively, you can use a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat to cook the burgers.
Step 3. Grill the buns. Place the buns cut-side-down on the grill until toasted (1 to 2 minutes).
Step 4. Serve. Serve the burger patties on the toasted buns with the caramelized onions (if using) and other toppings.
Joss' Tips
Here are some tips on how to make an amazing bison burger on the grill:
Make ahead. You can make the caramelized onions a couple of days in advance and store them in the fridge. You can also prepare the patties and freeze them individually, then head over to my tutorial for how to grill frozen burgers.
Know when to leave the lid open or closed. Leave the grill lid open while you are cooking the burgers because they cook quickly and you want to keep an eye on them. When you are melting the cheese towards the end, the grill lid can be closed to contain the heat.
Avoid a dry burger. Bison meat is easy to overcook because it is lower in fat than beef, so keep a close eye on it while you're barbecuing. The bison burgers are grilled over medium heat in this recipe to help avoid over-cooking. Getting to the right temperature can vary in time, so using a meat thermometer is useful. Also, be sure not to overmix the raw meat and let the patties rest for a few minutes after cooking.
Burger patty size. A patty that is about ½" thick is perfect. Try to go about ¼" wider than the bun you are using because they do shrink when they cook.
Stay food safe. While ground bison burgers are juiciest and at their best cooked between medium-rare and medium, the USDA recommends cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160°F for safety purposes, so this is the temperature I recommend. Cooking it under this temperature should be done at your own discretion.
Pasteurize option. According to ThermoPro, to get around this, you can pasteurize the meat by maintaining the temperature of the burgers at 140°F for roughly 12 minutes, and/or you can grind the meat yourself to avoid the contamination that can occur in commercial settings.
Bison Burger FAQs
It’s a type of hamburger made with ground bison meat, which is leaner than beef. Sometimes it is mistakenly called a buffalo burger, but buffalo and bison are not the same, so this is incorrect.
There is about 17 grams of protein in each 4 ounce bison patty. For this recipe, in the entire burger with cheese there is about 34 grams of protein.
The taste is going to be similar to a beef burger but less fatty and a tad sweeter. You don’t need to worry about it tasting gamey.
Leftover bison burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Store the toppings separately.
Related BBQ Sides to Consider
If you tried this 🍔 Bison Burger Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Bison Burgers
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Onions (optional)
- 2 cups yellow onions - sliced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
For the Bison Burger
- 1 pound ground bison meat
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes - diced--drain and reserve the oil
- ½ cup yellow onion - diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce - or hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 hamburger buns - split
Toppings
- 4 slices Havarti cheese
- salad greens
- tomato slices
- chipotle sauce - or hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
For the Caramelized Onions (optional)
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sundried tomato oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and sauté them for a few minutes, until soft.2 cups yellow onions
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown (for 30 minutes or more). Reserve.2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
For the Bison Burger
- Mix the ground bison meat with the sun dried tomatoes, diced onions, garlic, chipotle sauce and spices. Shape into 4 patties.1 pound ground bison meat, ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, ½ cup yellow onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Oil the grill grates and preheat to medium. Alternatively, you can use a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat.
- Grill the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until they have grill marks and reach an internal temperature of 160°F for well-done. If you want the cheese melted, place the Havarti slices on top of the patties about 1-2 minutes before the burgers are done, with the grill lid closed.
- Place the buns cut-side-down on the grill until toasted (1 to 2 minutes).
- Serve the burger patties on the toasted buns with the caramelized onions (if using) and other toppings.
Equipment
Notes
- The nutrition information does not include the caramelized onions or toppings.
- If you are pressed for time, you can skip the caramelized onions.
- Make it keto by skipping the bun.
- Although the patties stick together well, you can add an egg to the raw mixture if desired.
- Bison meat is easy to overcook because it is lower in fat than beef, so keep a close eye on it while you're barbecuing.
- A patty that is about ½" thick is perfect. Try to go about ¼" wider than the bun you are using because they do shrink when they cook.
- Leftover burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Store the toppings separately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Terri says
That photo is amazing and it looks as good as it tastes! Love bison meat because it's so lean. Will making this again!
Joss D says
Thanks Terri! I love bison meat for that reason too.
Asha says
I'm such a big fan of bison meat so loved these tasty burgers. The cheese suggestions were great too!
Joss D says
We are big fans too! Thank you Asha!
Vanessa says
This burger was to die for! Definitely making this again on Father's Day!
Joss D says
That's awesome to hear, thank you Vanessa!! It's good Father's Day food. 🙂
Colleen says
These bison burgers were delicious. I love the addition of sundried tomato and caramelized onions. Thanks for sharing!
Joss D says
Thank you so much Colleen!
nancy says
these bison patties are combined with sun-dried tomatoes are SO flavourful. We made these over the weekend for bbq party and everyone asked for more! i shared this recipe with them
Joss D says
That's great Nancy! I'm glad they were a hit. Thanks for the comment!
Bernice says
Oooo this reminds me that I have ground bison in the freezer. Burgers are one of my favourite things to use it in and these flavours are perfection. Saving this recipe for when the bison thaws!
Joss D says
Thank you Bernice! We love it for burgers as well.
Seanna Borrows says
These bison burgers look amazing. Found you on foodgawker and had to follow that image!
Joss D says
Thanks so much Seanna! I appreciate the comment.