Buffalo Burgers

Buffalo (or bison) burgers are leaner, deeper-flavored, and slightly sweeter than their beef counterparts. The trick to cooking them well is built into the recipe’s most important note: keep the grill heat down. Buffalo has 70% less fat than beef, which means there’s no fatty insurance against overcooking. Hot, fast grilling that works for a beef burger turns a buffalo patty into shoe leather.

The seasoning is built around classic burger condiments mixed straight into the meat: Worcestershire, ketchup, prepared mustard, and a punch of horseradish. The horseradish is the recipe’s secret. It adds heat that lifts the lean meat and complements the natural richness of bison.

Serve on toasted buns with all the standard fixings (lettuce, tomato, pickles, sliced onion). Lower fat, higher protein, more flavor than a standard hamburger.

Pro Tips

• Grill over moderate heat, not high (the recipe is emphatic about this). High heat overcooks lean buffalo before the inside finishes; medium gives juicier results.
• Pull the patties at 145°F (63°C) for medium, not 160°F (71°C). Buffalo dries out fast above medium; the USDA recommendation for ground meat applies, but bison is best cooked just to medium with quality meat.
• Don’t press the patties with a spatula. Pressing squeezes out the limited juices the lean meat already has.
• Form patties with a slight depression in the center. Buffalo shrinks more than beef during cooking, and the dimple keeps the patty flat instead of doming.
• Let cooked burgers rest 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Resting redistributes the juices that grilling pulled to the surface.

Variations

• Top with caramelized onions and a wedge of sharp blue cheese for a steakhouse-style buffalo burger.
• Mix in 1 tablespoon of olive oil or grated cold butter to add fat and keep the patties juicier.
• Stir 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary into the meat for an herby twist.