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BEST BURGER RECIPES
Buffalo meat, more commonly referred to as bison meat, can be used in most recipes that call for beef. Bison meat is one of the leanest, most nutritious meats available, and you can use it for burgers, roasts, steaks and stew. Because most meat bison are raised on open ranches and fed grass, the meat contains far fewer — if any — artificial antibiotics, hormones and steroids than beef and other more common meats.
Calories
A 100 grams serving of bison meat — about 3.5 ounces , or about 1/4 pounds — contains about 146 calories. This makes it one of the lowest-calorie meats. A similar serving of 90 percent lean beef contains about 176 calories, while pork contains about 218 calories and turkey contains about 149 calories. Even venison, another very lean meat, contains more calories per serving, with 158.
Fat and Cholesterol
One serving of buffalo meat contains 7.21 grams of fat, and about 55 milligrams of cholesterol. To put that in perspective, the same size serving of 90 percent lean beef contains about 10 grams of fat, and about 65 milligrams of cholesterol. This means bison is a very lean meat and also means that you will get more value for your money by purchasing bison meat because less of the weight is getting trimmed or drained off as fat.
Protein
Bison contains fewer calories and less fat than many other meats, such as beef and chicken, but that does not mean that it is less satisfying or nutritious. The protein content is slightly higher, with 20.23 grams in a serving of bison, compared to a serving of 90 percent lean beef, with 20 grams. Pork contains 17.99 grams of protein, with turkey containing 17.46 grams.
Buffalo burgers are hamburgers made with buffalo meat from the American bison. Buffalo burgers have less cholesterol, less fat, and less food energy than burgers made from beef or chicken. The American Heart Association recommended buffalo burgers in 1997 as more heart-healthy than chicken or beef. The burger is high in nutrients such as protein, zinc, and vitamin B12. Buffalo burgers are more healthy than beef because bison do not store as much fat as cattle. An 85-gram (3-ounce) serving of buffalo meat has 390 kilojoules (93 kilocalories) and 1.8 g of fat compared to 770 kJ (183 kcal) and 8.7 g of fat in the same serving as beef.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground bison (buffalo)
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Smoky barbecue sauce
Method
- Sauté the onions in the olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
- When the onions are cool enough to touch, use your (clean) hands to gently mix them in with the bison burger meat, and add everything else. Do not overwork the meat, it will result in a tough burger. Just gently fold it until the onions, sage, salt and pepper are well mixed in.
- Form patties with the meat, using about 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat per patty. Here’s a tip on making the patty: if you press a slight indentation in the center of each patty it will help keep the burgers in a nice disk shape when cooking. Otherwise the burger will start to get a little egg-shaped as the edges contract from cooking.
- Grill or fry the burgers on medium heat, about 6-7 minutes per side, less or more depending on the thickness of the burger and the heat of the pan/grill, or until the internal temperature is 140°F for medium rare, or 160°F for well done. A note on internal temperature. If you are getting the ground meat from a source you trust (we got ours from Whole Foods) that does their own grinding on site, or you grind your own meat, you can safely cook the burgers rare or medium rare. Otherwise you’ll want to cook the burgers until well done. Don’t press on your burgers while cooking, and keep the flipping to a minimum. Let the burgers rest about 5 minutes before serving.
Because bison meat is so lean, it cooks quickly and becomes tough if you cook it too long or at too high a temperature. Chefs often recommend cooking steaks to no more than medium-done. To keep moisture in, sear with a little vegetable oil over high heat and then cook slowly at reduced heat. You can grill or broil chops and steaks because they’re more tender. Moist, slow cooking is best for less tender cuts such as chuck. Ground meat patties should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F—the point where the pink just starts to disappear. Buffalo is a good substitute for beef in most recipes—as long as you don’t overcook it.
