This burger is so good that it doesn't even need a bun!
This burger recipe is just the thing you'll want to prepare when you're looking for a healthy alternative to a classic cheeseburger, but it's so gorgeous and delicious that you’ll want to eat this as-is no matter what or when. The burger is lean and full of protein, seasoned and full of flavor, garnished with melted cheese, juicy tomato, sliced avocado, and a gloriously good fried egg. Ground bison meat is high in protein just like its cow counterpart, except that it’s lower in fat, the bison are never administered hormones/antibiotics and are almost always allowed to graze freely, and it has a lower carbon footprint. This burger doesn't need a bun, but it certainly can have one. Pickles, onions, lettuce....sure!
Equipment: cutting board; chef’s knife; paring knife; measuring spoons; mixing bowl; rubber spatula; pastry brush (optional); grill or grill pan; offset spatula; nonstick sauté pan; aluminum foil
Burger Ingredients:
1½ - 2 pounds ground bison
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
Garnishes: 4 eggs
1 tablespoon of butter
1 avocado, quartered and sliced
4 slices tomato
4 slices Provolone
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. First prepare the burgers by mixing the ground bison with the minced garlic, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and generous amounts of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
ILOC tip: season bison meat generously, and cook it to medium-rare, if so inclined. Since it is much lower in fat than beef it is thus much drier and needs this culinary assist!
2. Divide the mixture into four equal portions (6-8 ounces, depending on how big you like your burgers). Shape into patties about ½-inch think.
3. Heat a grill or grill pan.
4. Brush each bison burger on both sides with a bit of oil. Place on the grill or grill pan and cook, in batches if necessary, for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. Cook longer per side, if desired (but not recommended).
5. Remove the burgers from the heat and top each with a slice of cheese. Tent loosely with foil to help melt the cheese and keep warm without cooking further while quickly frying the eggs.
6. Add a tablespoon of butter to a nonstick frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, place four cracked eggs in the pan and cook for 1 minute per side (or longer if a runny egg is not desired).
7. Top each burger with a tomato, avocado, and a fried egg. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 burgers.