Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Going for the Ultimate Bison Burger, tips please

I think I will start with frozen cubed meat and chill the fat and freeze the grinder parts. I will mix and season the meat and run it through the course chili grinder plate. First I will try a mix of 5% Bacon ends and 10% sirloin trimming fat. Then I will run it through a finer plate (which size?) and may even run it through a third time. I am doing small batches to be eaten fresh so not concerned about the time or redundancy. I will try a homemade Montreal mix both in and on the meat but think on the outside exposed to the grill may be better.

How much of the tougher trimmings can I get away with, or should I stick to the better cuts? Do I have to get all of the connective tissue off? When I have watched butchers do this they just get the big stuff off.

Any advice from the pro's?

Is this from a cow or bull?

I think if you run it through a grinder 3X you’re going to have mush.

About a 4 year old cow. The round steaks take some cooking to be tender but the back straps are very tender when grilled rare. Is a double grind too much?

I saw one U Tube where they did a double or triple grind on Beef, partially frozen and equipment chilled.. A friend will double or triple grind unfrozen Venison and the sausages come out like hot dogs, almost an emulsion.

I wouldn’t grind it to death. Yes, well trimmed cuts. A tough well trimmed roast can be better to grind than a sirloin with a bunch of connective tissue. Bacon ends or even pork shoulder sound good. I’d shot for 15-20% fat.

I like a bit of a coarse grind personally. Small batch sounds fun. You can play around and find what ya like!

Neither of the two bison Eileen and I have taken (both 3-year-olds, a bull and cow) have required anything special in burger grind. Both were great, whatever the cut. Both were aged at week or more, and burger was just ground once.

Thanks, I think that is the problem, lack of aging, this one went straight to the locker less than three hours after it was down due to hot weather. I am going to age it in the refrigerator to see if that will do it. Had some stay in an ice chest for five days and it was an improvement over fresh thawed.

As a practice run I am going to make some chorizo that will be in between the Spanish and Mexican types. The recipe calls for vinegar to infuse the spices so that should tenderize the meat as well as it marinates a couple of days. Last time I used 30% pork butt and I think closer to 40 or 50% will be better as it needs a certain amount of fat, more than beef.

On the Bison I think I will grind first at a partial thaw then age, this way I won't have to re-freeze it after aging. I will try a single pass on the good cuts and a double on the scrap cuts to see if there is a difference.

Grinding then aging may result in growth of unwanted bacteria. I wouldn’t do it.

Do they not taste good?

No, it will grow salmonella. If he’s going to do it, he should probably keep it under 40deg for 5 days or less, which isn’t “aged”. Decent aging takes 2-5 weeks and then you trim off the outer hull. Can’t do that with burger.

I was just curious as to why all the seasoning was to be added.

Just like the seasoning on grilled foods.

The meat tastes great but is on the tough side. I think ground it won't really need aging.
Thanks for the spoilage reminder, one of those things I know but forget about until too late. I don't want to add any nitrates to it.

Bison is very easy to over cook and if it is it will be quite dry. Mixing some bacon ends when you grind or put some olive oil in the ground bison when making the burger patties will add some moisture. I prefer not to add anything.

Yes going for 15-20% fat, will do a batch of each, and no seasoning in the mix but season and maybe olive oil on the outside if it needs it.

At least 20% fat, grind form burger and DON'T pack it down ..loose like a pile of spaghetti tucked just enough to form a patty season about 5 minutes before u grill it with a mix on powdered onion garlic salt and pepper ..man up and add a touch of accent...dont believe me make two burgers on wit one with out ...blue ribbon eats await. Before u scream > https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26854-is-msg-a-silent-killer-or-useful-flavour-booster/

i remember the glutamate scare back in the 70's or was that cyclamate

MSG if your going for the Umami taste why not use Umami? I put ground kelp on a lot of things. To me it is like a good finishing salt and a vegetarian substitute for Anchovies. It is a great flavor enhancer and full of trace minerals. None is going into the burger though.