Monday, June 30, 2008

Bison: Its what's for dinner?


Well, not for me, mind you - but the husband loves it. As discussed he's a meat freak, albeit one who needs to watch his cholesterol. He made the transition from regular burgers to bison burgers a couple of summers ago and has never stopped singing its praises. Much like a missionary, he's on a quest to get everyone on board and here's why: its low in calories, has far less fat than even skinless-boneless chicken breasts and is nutrient rich. He's gone so completely crazy for it that he's now demanding Buffalo Dogs as well. Will the madness never stop?

I'm content to stick with my turkey burgers, thankyouverymuch. But, he swears its even better and more flavorful than a regular hamburger - and given his passion for burgers, that's saying something. I'm offering the nutritional stats and the recipe here at his suggestion. I figure by letting you in on his secret I'll be doing us both a favor. You'll benefit health-wise, and I'll be preventing him from donning a white robe and preaching about it in the subways. Win/win.

Bison Burger:

  • 1 lb. ground bison
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 2 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • a couple of shakes of hot red pepper flakes
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine all of the above in a medium sized bowl and mix to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Shape into patties and grill.

When cooking bison, its important to use indirect heat. Because the fat content is so low there will be very little shrinkage, and you don't want your burger to turn into a hockey puck. If we're in the burbs, the husband pre-heats the gas grill on high, then turns it down to medium when cooking the burgers. If we are at home, he'll heat the grill pan, and then cook it low and slow over medium-low heat. Bison will cook more quickly than ground beef, so adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Here's a useful link on bison cooking tips, do read it if you're going to try the burgers. If you're on the South Beach, substitute 2 tbsp. of high quality tomato paste (such as Luigi Vitelli) for the ketchup and results will be the same. Give 'em a go and let me know what you think. If you're a convert to the Church of Bison, shout it out in the comments so the husband can update his database.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not sure about this bison thing since I'm not much of a meat eater but might give it a try to replace my occasional burger craving. Let the hubby know he has spread the "spark" so to speak.

The Diva on a Diet said...

Hi Deb - I'm not much for the red meat either, but I promised the husband I would try the ground bison in place of ground beef ... in something ... sometime. I haven't done it yet, but I'll report back when I do. Let me know if you give it a shot - and what you think of it.

Ski Goddess said...

Since first enjoying bison burgers & chili on our wedding trip to YNP & the Tetons, Ski Roadie and I have been HUGE fans. Citarella has the BEST buffalo burgers in the city (forget Fairway). Since you referenced Sundance in an earlier post, if you're ever in the neighborhood of the Sundance resort, don't miss the opportunity to eat in the Tree Room and enjoy the outstanding bison tenderloin. It'll bring a tear to your eye and you'll be a lifelong convert!

The Diva on a Diet said...

Hi Penelope!

Lately I have been getting the bison burgers from Citarella because Fairway doesn't always stock them.

I'm still not a fan. The husband made me try some again last weekend ... and I still don't like it. Too richly flavored for me or something.

I'll let him know you're on the bison train though!