Home-Ground Bison Burgers Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated August 30, 2018
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

By grinding meat fresh and handling it with care, you create a much lighter, almost fluffy patty full of internal nooks and crannies that are essential for capturing the dripping juices that can make even a lean burger taste juicy and moist.

Recipe Details

Home-Ground Bison Burgers Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 20 ounces (1 1/4 pounds) bison chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 slices cheddar, Swiss, or American cheese (if desired)

  • 4 hamburger buns, toasted

  • Condiments as desired

Directions

  1. To Grind in Meat Grinder: Place meat on rimmed baking sheet or large plate, leaving a small space between each cube. Place in freezer until firm but not frozen, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, set up meat grinder with 3/8ths inch plate. Grind meat according to manufacturer's instructions. Switch grinder to 1/4-inch plate and grind again, chilling meat in between batches in freezer if it starts to get too warm (it should remain freezing cold to the touch). Transfer ground beef to a rimmed baking sheet.

  2. To Grind in Food Processor: Place meat on rimmed baking sheet or large plate, leaving a small space between each cube. Place in freezer until firm but not frozen, about 15 minutes. Working in four batches, pulse meat cubes int he food processor until finely ground, about 15 short pulses. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet

  3. Gently press ground beef into four even patties about 4-inches across, pressing until they hold together and making a slight indentation in their center.

  4. Preheat a grill to high heat. Season burgers generously with salt and black pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until well-charred and center registers 125°F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare or 135°F for medium, adding cheese for last 30 seconds of cooking.

  5. Transfer to buns, top as desired, and serve.

Special Equipment

Meat grinder or food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
496Calories
27gFat
24gCarbs
37gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories496
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g35%
Saturated Fat 13g63%
Cholesterol 116mg39%
Sodium 802mg35%
Total Carbohydrate 24g9%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 1mg3%
Calcium 293mg23%
Iron 5mg27%
Potassium 442mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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