Bison Burger With Cajun Bourbon Mayo Recipe

There's something about seeing the word "bison" on a menu that elicits a very specific feeling — the woodsy, mountainous, lumberjack kind of feeling, the kind you'd experience on a trip to the great parks of western Montana. Maybe it's because that's where you're most likely to see bison in the wild; or perhaps it's because bison is most often used in cozy, hearty dishes that compliment the oft-blistering cold of the great outdoors. Bison works well for dishes like these because the meat itself is healthier than beef, with a mild, sweeter taste and leaner fat ratio. So think of a great chili, stew, or burger: Bison would make it better.

This juicy, flavorful bison burger recipe written with developer Michelle McGlinn emphasizes the tender bison by pairing it with bold toppings: First, a pile of crunchy buttermilk onion straws, then a drizzling of sweet and spicy Cajun bourbon mayo. Though the burger itself is simple, needing only salt and pepper, the punchy toppings make for an indulgent, flavor-filled burger — one you'd feel good splurging a few extra dollars on bison for.

For the onion straws, grab 2 small Spanish onions (yellow works too), buttermilk, flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, then get enough oil to deep-fry with — 1 quart is enough to fill a Dutch oven about halfway. From there, you'll need mayonnaise, garlic, bourbon, lemon juice, and Cajun seasoning. Most seasoning blends will already have salt, so if you're making yours homemade, be sure to include it in your blend. Then, to make the burgers, you'll just need bison, a high smoke point oil like grapeseed, and 4 brioche buns.

Combine the onions and buttermilk in a large bowl, mixing well so that all onions are coated. Soak for 30 minutes, stirring often.

In the meantime, combine the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. The oil should read 350 F using a candy thermometer.

Working a handful at a time, shake the buttermilk off of the onions and dredge in the flour mixture.

Add the onions to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining onions, working in batches.

To make the bourbon mayo, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, bourbon, Cajun seasoning, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Stir to combine and set aside.

To make the burgers, combine the bison, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Gently mix to combine.

Form 4 patties.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Working in batches, cook the bison burgers until deeply browned, about 4 minutes per side.

To build the burgers, slather bourbon mayo on a bottom bun. Add the bison patty, then top with onion straws. Add top bun to serve.

This recipe calls for 1 pound of ground bison, which makes 4 quarter-pound burgers. Being a specialty meat, bison is usually packaged and sold by the pound, so adding more meat to your patties would require buying 2 pounds of bison. This would make 4 half-pound burgers — which is a hefty burger — or you could make a spare patty to save for later.

A standard large patty would be just over a quarter pound at about 6 ounces. To do this without having to buy 2 pounds of bison — since it's not exactly cheap — you can combine it with ground beef, instead. This doesn't hurt the bison, and can actually contribute to a juicier burger because beef is higher in fat. Choose a ground beef that is 80 to 85% lean and combine about ½ pound of beef with 1 pound of bison. This way, you still get the great, sweet flavor of bison with the juiciness of the beef (and a lower cost on your grocery bill). Divide the beef and bison mixture into 4 patties — this time, each patty will be around 6 ounces.

Frying onions is fairly straightforward, but there can be some surprises. Because of its acidity, buttermilk is useful for tenderizing meat. It also works this way for onions — buttermilk helps ensure a tender onion under the crispy coating, softening their flavor and making them sweeter as well. Besides that, it also helps provide a wet base for the flour to stick to. However, you might notice that it can make the onions gummy and gooey. To avoid this, work in small, fist-sized batches, and shake the buttermilk from the onions until they're just tacky enough to dredge. Then, toss in the flour gently and immediately add to the oil.

The oil is the most finicky part of deep frying. The temperature and depth has to be just right for a perfect fry. Use a Dutch oven, if you have one, which will retain a consistent heat for the entire frying time. If you don't have a Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet also works well, but may require a splatter guard. Heat the oil, then test it by adding one small, dredged onion. If the onion immediately "sizzles" and begins to lightly brown, the oil is ready. If the onion rapidly bubbles and darkens, the oil may be too hot. For perfect fried onions, the rings should gently turn golden brown over 2 to 3 minutes. If it's taking longer than that, turn the heat up a few notches and try again.