Juicy, flavorful, and made with simple ingredients, our Bison Burgers recipe is a great way to shake up your burger night. They cook fast, taste incredible, and bring that rich, beefy flavor you expect from a good burger, with way fewer calories.
If you haven’t tried bison yet, this is the place to start.
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When beef feels boring, this is what we reach for.
Bison’s been part of North American cooking for thousands of years, long before it showed up at the grocery store or on restaurant menus. It’s lean, packed with protein, and has just a little hint of gaminess that gives it character.
I try bison every chance I get when I’m traveling, and this is one of my favorite ground bison recipes! The natural flavor of the meat is tender, rich, and layered, like a little bite of big sky country.
Simple, satisfying, and absolutely worth it!
You can make our juicy Bison Burgers on a pellet grill, cast iron skillet, or Blackstone, whatever’s hot and ready.
They come together quickly, making them perfect for a weeknight win or a weekend cookout.
Bring it all together with our Classic Potato Salad and a side of Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries for a plate that delivers delicious flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Bison Burgers recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely. We made this recipe with lean ground bison, but you can easily use ground beef, elk, or venison if that’s what you’ve got. Just remember that fattier meats cook faster and shrink a little more, so adjust your timing as needed.
You can swap out the fresh thyme for dried herbs, or try different seasonings depending on what you like.
Instead of mixing the onions in, try topping your Bison Burgers with caramelized onions for a richer finish, and for a simple shortcut, onion powder works great when fresh onions aren’t handy.
If you want some heat, add a dash of chili powder or cayenne to the meat. It doesn’t take much to give it that spicy little kick.
How to Make Bison Burgers
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Bison Burgers in your home kitchen.
- Remove the ground bison from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making this recipe to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Heat your pellet grill to 425 degrees (If using a cast iron pan or a Blackstone, heat on medium-high heat and coat lightly with olive oil).
- Add the ground meat, onions, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to a large bowl.
- Gently combine the ingredients. Try not to over-handle the ground meat mixture, as it will become tough if over-mixed.
- Divide the ground meat mixture into four quarter-pound burgers or burger balls.
- Place the burgers onto your pellet grill, cook on one side for 8-10 minutes (if using a cast iron pan or Blackstone, 6-8 minutes).
- Flip the burger over to the other side and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature. (If using a cast iron pan or Blackstone, 6-8 minutes).
- Once the desired internal temperature is reached, place the cheese slices on top and let them melt (about 1 minute). Then remove them from the grill.
Chef Tip:
A common mistake made by novice grillers is flipping the meat too frequently and pressing down on the burger with a spatula.
You want to flip the burger and leave it alone. When you squeeze down or press down on the burger, you release all the juices from the burger onto the grill. This not only affects the juiciness of the burger, but it also causes flare-ups on your grill.
Serve our Bison Burgers at your next family cookout or casual weekend dinner, and they’ll never ask for beef again. When it comes to ground bison recipes, this is a keeper!
But you’d better save one for yourself, or the grill master might go hungry!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Bison Burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best flavor, bring them to room temperature before reheating in a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
You can also reheat in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, flipping once. The texture might not be quite the same, but it still gets the job done when you’re short on time.
Freeze cooked burgers without any cheese on top, and thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating. To freeze the uncooked patties, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and lay them flat in a single layer. Cooked or uncooked, they’ll keep in the freezer for up to two months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it will. Bison is much leaner than regular ground beef, so it cooks faster and dries out if you go too far. I always pull mine off the heat just shy of medium to keep them juicy. Go past that, and you’ll end up with a rubbery puck instead of a great burger.
For ground bison, aim for an internal temperature of 145°F. That gives you a nice medium burger that’s safe to eat but still tender. Stick a meat thermometer right into the center of the patty to get the most accurate read.
You might notice a slightly richer smell when it starts to cook, but that usually fades by the time it hits the bun. If you’re sensitive to stronger flavors, a little Dijon mustard or onion powder mixed into the meat will mellow things out without covering up that natural bison flavor.
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Bison Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sweet onion -finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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Instructions
- Remove the ground beef from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to making this recipe to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Heat your pellet grill to 425 degrees (If using a cast iron pan or a Blackstone, heat on medium-high heat and coat lightly with olive oil).
- Add the ground meat, onions, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to a large bowl.
- Gently combine the ingredients. *Try not to over-handle the ground meat mixture, as it will become tough if over-mixed.
- Divide the ground beef mixture into four quarter pound burgers or burger balls.
- Place the burgers onto your pellet grill, cook on one side for 8-10 minutes (if using a cast iron pan or Blackstone, 6-8 minutes).
- lip the burger over to the other side and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature. (If using a cast iron pan or Blackstone, 6-8 minutes)..
- Once the desired internal temperature is reached, place the cheese slices on top and let them melt (about 1 minute). Then remove them from the grill.
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