How to Cook Ground Buffalo

The American bison, hunted nearly to extinction in the late 19th century, is back in a big way. You likely can find bison meat in the butcher section of your local grocery store. Bison meat is darker in color than beef, lower in fat and calories than skinless chicken breast and meaty but pleasantly sweet to the taste. You can use it in almost any recipe that calls for ground beef, but there are a few facts you need to know to make sure your meal is delicious. The simplest way to start cooking bison is by making bison burgers.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For three burgers:
• 1 pound ground buffalo meat
• 2-quart mixing bowl
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 10-inch cast-iron skillet
• Cooking oil in a spray can (e.g., Pam)
• Fast-reading food thermometer, the type with a metal probe about four inches long and a temperature gauge on the top of the probe
• Regular hamburger buns or large Kaiser rolls, depending on what type of bun you prefer
• Condiments--mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard all go well with bison meat, as do dill or sweet pickles and sliced tomatoes

1. Put the ground bison into the mixing bowl and add salt and pepper. Divide the meat into three portions and pat each portion out into a burger patty. Handle the meat just enough to make sure the patties hold their shape.

2. Put the cast-iron skillet on the stove and turn the heat on under it to medium-high. If you have a range hood, turn it on.

3. When the skillet is hot, test it by tossing drops of water onto it. If the water skitters and evaporates immediately, the skillet is hot enough. Spray the skillet with just enough cooking spray to lightly lubricate it, and then put the patties into the skillet, making sure they don't touch one another. Cook the burgers for about a minute, or until they look brown and crusty. Turn the patties over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook the patties for about another minute.

4. Cook the patties to the desired degree, but turn them only once more after the initial browning, and watch them carefully. A bison patty will cook in about two thirds the time as a similarly sized beef patty. There are several ways to test for doneness, but the most foolproof is to use a fast-reading food thermometer, which is inexpensive and available at most supermarkets and mainstream retailers that carry kitchen supplies. When you think the burger is pretty nearly done, stick the thermometer into the thickest part of it. Rare meat will register between 125 and 135 degrees F, while well-done meat will register between 155 and 165 degrees.
   When you're satisfied with the temperature, turn the heat off, turn off the range hood, take the patties out of the pan and set them aside on a plate to rest for a few minutes.

5. Prepare the hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls the way you like them, with your choice of condiments. When the patties have rested for about five minutes, put them on the bottom halves of the buns or rolls and put the tops on.

Tips & Warnings

• *Fresh ground bison meat will keep in the refrigerator for about two days. It will keep in the freezer for up to a year if properly packaged. *For a flavor boost, you can sauteed chopped onion to the meat when you're preparing it for cooking. *If the patties touch one another in the skillet, they will steam rather than brown. Make sure there's at least a half inch of space between each patty. *It's important to let the patties rest for a few minute after you take them out of the pan, so the juices can retreat back into the meat. If you cut a patty as soon as you take it off the heat, the juices will all run out and you'll have a soggy bun and dry, unpalatable meat. *If you can't find bison in your local grocery store, you can order it from specialty stores or directly from the ranchers.

References

• "Buffalo"; Food and Nutrition Center; Publix
• "Why Buffalo?"; Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Co.

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