Buffalo Burgers

[240brickman]

Hi gang! I thought I'd share this:

I'd been meaning to try ground buffalo for some time, but the only place around here that carries it is Wegman's, and they want $5 per pound for it. I don't mind paying that much (or more) for most things...but ground meat?? But at the end of last week, they'd marked-down several 1-pound packages of it to two bucks (the "sell-by" date was December 29), so I bought a couple. (FYI: I went back to Wegman's earlier today, and NONE of the marked-down packages are left)

I just dumped the ground buffalo into a mixing bowl, and added (I did measure most of this)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin (powdered, not the crushed seeds)
1/2 tsp of kosher salt (I added more salt to the surface of the burgers, just before grilling)
1 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS worcestershire
a splash of Kentucky bourbon (it's the only thing I didn't measure, but I'd say it was about 1 1/2 or 2 TBS)

I mooshed everything together, using my bare hands. This is buffalo, after all. I took special care not to work it too much; just until everything was incorporated. I divided the mix into thirds (as closely as I could without a scale), and formed 3 patties (about 1/3-pound each), which I made quite flat and wide (about 5 inches across). I've heard that buffalo is pretty lean, so it gets dried out quickly on the grill. So I stacked the patties between layers of waxed paper, wrapped them loosely in plastic wrap, and stuck them in the freezer for about an hour. I've had alot of success grilling hamburgers made this way...if the burgers are wide and flat, and hit the grill frozen (or semi-frozen), they remain juicier. They also don't seem to shrink quite as much, so they stick out over the edges of the bun. They look huge!

I sprayed my grill with non-stick stuff, and allowed it to heat up (medium-low heat). Then I threw the burgers on (by this time they were a bit stiff, but not thoroughly frozen). 4 minutes on one side, lid closed---do NOT touch the burger during this time. After 4 minutes, I gave them a flip, closed the lid, and left them for another 4 minutes.

At that point, I'd say they were somewhere between rare & medium-rare. I gave them another flip, and cooked them for another 2 minutes per side (they ended up right around medium). I served them on onion rolls.

They came out really, really good. I'm going to (as usual) tweak this recipe even more, when I find a good deal on ground buffalo!

--J

[cara]

that sounds really good....
when I was in the US eight years ago I had a buffalo burger in a restaurant and I think it was the best burger I ever had in my life....

I found a seller here at the market who sells buffalo meat... I was thinking of ordering some, but haven't done yet

[Piccolina]

Looks great brickman, good choice on the onion rolls (did you top them with anything?) Thanks for sharing your recipe

[jkath]

buffalo = yummmmmmmm! tasteeeee!

I just saw a restaurant not far from my new house that touts itself as the "home of the buffalo burger"! I'll be checking that one out soon!

[240brickman]

Piccolina, I just topped them with some mayo on one side, brown mustard on the other (I don't dislike ketchup, but for some reason I never use it).

I didn't bother with cheese, but next time I will.

--J

[Barbara L]

I love buffalo burgers! You should try it for meatloaf sometime too (Buffaloaf!). No shrinkage at all. And it tastes great.

Barbara

[Raine]

We love them! We just wish it wasn't so expensive, $5.99 a pound.

[Piccolina]

Originally Posted by 240brickman

Piccolina, I just topped them with some mayo on one side, brown mustard on the other (I don't dislike ketchup, but for some reason I never use it).

I didn't bother with cheese, but next time I will.

--J

Sounds delicious! I might be tempted to use a little bbq sauce, but at the same time the last thing you'd want to do is wipe out the awesome natural flaovur of the buffalo meat.

[bknox]

Thanks for the recipe 240Brickman! My brother in Va. has recently discovered Buffalo and says it makes the best burgers. We have been meaning to try it out, as well as Cobrito (goat), and your recipe gives me the perfect excuse. Actually, now that the weather is breaking, any excuse to get out the grill and the bourbon.

Thanks again,

[Constance]

When I was 12, we took a driving trip from here in Southern Il to San Francisco, to see my aunt. My dad had a brand new 57 Chevy, and we took the scenic route, both going and coming. I can't remember where...Kansas or Wyoming, I think...we stopped at a restaurant that specialized in Buffalo, and I had a buffalo burger. I used my usual catsup, mustard and relish, and I thought it was great!

[Poppinfresh]

Wow, you guys get screwed on Buffalo prices. Here in Oregon, our local Fred Meyer gets it in 5 or 6 times a year...the ground is usually 1.99 a pound, and the tenderloins are usually only about 8 bucks/lb.

Buffalo does make a great burger though. If I may make a suggestion? Add a little sun dried tomato paste to it--really adds a whole other dimension to the burger. I saw some guy on a TV show do it once, tried it...worked really well.

But as far as it being the best burger ever? Ehhhh, I get the feeling many of you have never had an ostrich burger or an elk burger (though elk being so expensive, I feel almost guilty grinding it up for hamburger) :)

[bknox]

Hook line and sinker, we had buffalo burgers over the weekend (in Virginia) and I thought it was excellent. I agree the $5+ a pound is a little hard to swallow, no pun intended.

Now I want to mix it with pork and make sausage and see how it goes.

[240brickman]

Hi gang! sorry I haven't been around for so long....busy, busy, busy (which I suppose is better than "bored, bored, bored").

Poppinfresh, I have actually amended my buffalo burger recipe to include about a tablespoon of tomato paste (alas, I haven't tried the sundried variety yet). I helps hold the burgers together, in addition to adding wonderful flavor.

Now that Grilling Season is officially in full swing, I've been working on...well, just about everything. My current favorite thing (which is to say, I'm having it for dinner tonight) is my Grilled Mole Chicken, which I'll post shortly (in the appropriate thread of course).

It's good to be back...I miss you guys!


--J