Juicy Bison Burgers with Mushrooms & Onions
If you have any extra mushrooms after making the lasagna I posted last week, this recipe is a great way to use them up. Loaded up with mushrooms and onions sautéed until they’re so soft they almost melt, these burgers are so flavorful that I’ll even make an exception to my “don’t you dare serve me a burger that isn’t smothered with cheese” rule.
If you haven’t tried bison yet, this is a great way to give it a try. It’s naturally leaner than ground beef, but still has tons of meaty flavor. I also find that it’s easier to find pasture-raised, hormone and antibiotic-free bison than it is to find beef that I can feel good about eating – and it’s cheaper too! (The USDA doesn’t permit antibiotics or growth hormones to be given to bison. Bison is also allowed to roam freely and eat hay or grass for most of their lives; however some of them are “grain finished” to fatten them up and make their fat white instead of yellow – a consumer preference – so you may want to look at the label closely if grass-fed meat is something you care about.) Of course, extra-lean ground beef will also work for this recipe, just add an extra dash of Worcestershire and some finely chopped mushrooms to the mix to make up for the milder flavor of the meat.
The cooking technique, which involves starting the burgers in a super hot pan but finishing them in a cool oven, ensured that these these thick, juicy patties are charred on the outside, but still perfectly pink (but not raw!) in the middle. They take a few minutes longer to prepare than your standard grilled or pan-cooked burgers, but they’re definitely worth the extra effort. Pile on the sautéed vegetables, a thick slice of tomato, and some A1 and you won’t miss the cheese for a second.
Juicy Bison Burgers with Mushroom & Onions
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes
Searing these burgers over high heat, gives them a deliciously charred crust. Finish them in them in the oven so they don’t get overcooked, then top them with a flavorful mixture of sautéed mushrooms and onions. I like my burgers topped with A-1 and a thick slice of tomato; Shawn prefers his with barbecue sauce, banana peppers, and pickles.
Recipe adapted from Best Darn Food Ever. Technique adapted from Cooks Ilustrated.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Bison or Lean Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 5 ounces Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
- 4 Whole Wheat English Muffins, split and toasted
- Lettuce, Tomato and additional condiments of your choice (steak sauce, pickles, banana peppers, etc.)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 3ooF.
- Mix together bison and Worcestershire. Shape into 4 patties, about 3/4-inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. When the oil begins to smoke, add the burgers. Cook without moving for 2 minutes, or until a lightly charred crust begins to form. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Transfer burgers to a baking sheet and bake for 4-8 minutes for medium-rare, or until they reach your desired level of doneness. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
- While the burgers cook, heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a second skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden – about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened – about 5 minutes.
- To serve, place a lettuce leaf and a thick slice of tomato on the bottom of each English muffin. Top with a burger and 1/4 of the mushroom and onion mixture. Add any additional condiments of your choice, and top with the remaining muffin half.
Approx. 392 calories, 13.5 grams fat, 31.5 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 37 grams protein. 10 Points+.
Why would you not just put the cast iron skillet in the oven? Is there a reason you use a baking sheet?
Good question! The cast iron pan gets really hot, which gives the outside of the burgers a nice sear. Unfortunately, it also retains heat really well, so they burgers end up getting overcooked if you just move the whole pan into the oven. Transferring them to a baking brings the temperature down. 🙂
I would suggest cooking the first side on the stove in the cast iron and putting the pan in the oven as soon as the burger is flipped. Cook steaks this way all the time.Yum!
When I lived in Alberta I often saw bison at the market or back in the 80’s they even had beefalo thanks to some entrepreneurs.