Bison Burger

Description:
North America was once home to herds of tens of millions of wild bison living from coast to coast of what is the United States and Canada today. Due to being over-hunted to the bring of extinction, the current range of the American bison is limited to the Great Plains and the area east of the Rocky Mountains. Today, bison are no longer faced with the threat of extinction, with approximately 20,500 living in the wild with an additional 420,000 in commercial herds. The latter serve as a popular source of food, especially in the area of the country in which these herds reside. Bison burger is an adaptation of the ubiquitous American burger that can be found throughout the region of the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of bison meat (225g)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)

• 1 leaf of lettuce

• 3-5 pickle slices

• 1-2 slices cheddar cheese

• 1 ring of sliced yellow onion

• 1 hamburger bun

• Mayonnaise

• Salt & pepper

Preparation:

Form the ground bison into a patty that is slightly larger than the hamburger bun. Season on both sides with salt & pepper. In a pan (ideally cast-iron), heat half of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt. Cook until it has softened and browned slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat over high. Add the burger and cook it around 5 minutes on each side. For medium-well done burgers, the juices running from the top of the burger will trun from red to clear. During the last two minutes of cooking, lay the cheddar cheese on top of the burger to melt. To assemble, lay the lettuce and pickles on the bottom bun. Top with the cooked burger, and top that with the cooked onions. Spread some mayonnaise over the top burger bun and then top the bruger. Serve along with french fries or potato chips.

Notes:

• You can prepare this recipe by grilling the onions and burgers instead of cooking in a pan.