Bison Burgers On The Grill

Summer has a way of making supper simpler. Fire up the grill, put something good on it, and let everybody stand around pretending they are not hungry yet.

Bison burgers fit that season pretty well. But they do ask for a little attention. Bison is leaner than beef, which is one reason people like it. That also means it cooks faster and dries out faster if you treat it like a greasy diner burger.

So don't

Start Simple

Use a light hand when you shape the patties. Salt and pepper are plenty. If you want to add a little fat, that is fine, but you do not need to hide the meat under a pile of tricks. The point is to taste the bison.

Make the patties a little thicker than you might with beef, and put a small dimple in the center if you want them to hold shape on the grill. Then leave them alone more than you think you should. Pressing a burger with a spatula may feel satisfying, but all you are doing is pushing out juice you wanted to eat.

Watch The Temperature

The National Bison Association recommends cooking ground bison to an internal temperature of 160°F. That is the number to use. Not the clock. Not the color. A thermometer.

Lean meat does not give you a lot of room for guesswork. Pull it when it is ready, let it rest a few minutes, and then get it on a bun with whatever you like. Onion, mustard, cheese, pickles, nothing at all. We are not here to start a condiment argument.

What Makes It Worth Doing

A good bison burger tastes clean and rich without being heavy. It carries the grass with it, in a way. That sounds a little odd until you have one cooked right, and then it makes perfect sense.

That is the whole idea at Red River Bison. Raise the animals on the land, keep the chain short, and let the food speak plainly. No feedlots. No middlemen. Just the kind of meat you can put on a grill and feel good feeding to the people standing around waiting for supper.

And in June, that is not a bad way to spend an evening.