Bison Burgers

If you’re pressed for time you can skip the caramelized onions; the burger will still be full of amazing flavor. The bison patties have just the right amount of spices and aren’t overloaded with filler ingredients.

Chipotle sauce adds a bit of spicy, smoky taste to the 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 good with some crispy bacon strips.

Bison Burger Ingredients

For the Caramelized Onions (optional topping):

• 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!

For the Bison Burgers:

• ground bison meat - Bison meat is leaner than beef and I enjoy the flavor more. Good ground meat is bright and fresh looking.
• 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 - 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.

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 compliments 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 we did 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 that you might like!

How to Make Them

For the caramelized onions (optional):

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sundried tomato oil over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onions and sauté them for a few minutes, until soft.
3. 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.

For the burgers:

1. Mix the ground bison meat with the sun dried tomatoes, diced onions, garlic, chipotle sauce and spices. Shape into 4 patties.
2. Oil the grill grates and preheat to medium. Alternatively, you can use a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat.
3. Grill the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until they 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.
4. Place the buns cut-side-down on the grill until toasted (1 to 2 minutes).
5. Serve the burger patties on the toasted buns with the caramelized onions (if using) and other toppings.

Tips

Here are some tips on how to make an amazing bison burger on the grill:

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 watch for flare-ups. 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.

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.

Recipe FAQs

Related BBQ Sides to Consider