Best Bison Burgers Recipe

A bison burger with caramelized onions on a white plate.

5 from 1 vote

Skip the ground beef and go for a juicy Bison Burger instead! Lean ground bison meat is actually a great protein source and it tastes delicious with some melted cheese and caramelized onions on your favorite brioche hamburger buns.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 771kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Burgers

1 ⅓ pounds ground bison
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Fixings

4 brioche hamburger buns
4 slices swiss cheese or cheddar cheese
4 slices tomatoes
Lettuce
Caramelized onions
Mayonnaise or aioli
Ketchup
Mustard
Dill pickles

Instructions

Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder over ground bison in a large bowl. Gently mix together.
Shape into patties about 4" around and ¾" thick or slightly larger than the buns you plan to use.
Get the charcoal briquets going for a charcoal grill or preheat your gas grill to high heat. Place bison patties onto clean, hot grates directly over the heat and grill for 2-3 minutes before flipping and grilling another 2 minutes on the other side. Top with cheese as soon as you flip the burgers so it has time to melt.
Remove bison burgers from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Skillet Version: Heat 1-2 Tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Place bison patties in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes without moving the patties. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until medium-rare to medium.
Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Arrange the patties in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done.
Additional Mix-Ins: Some people like to add even more to their bison patties like 1-2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and two tablespoons of olive oil, heavy cream, mayonnaise, or stoneground or dijon mustard as a way of adding some fat into an otherwise lean patty. Personally I have found this to be unnecessary as long as you are careful not to overcook your burgers.
Freezing: If you have any uncooked patties, they can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months. You can even grill them direct from their frozen state - it will just take an extra minute or two on the grill.

Nutrition