Sunday, February 23, 2014

Bison Burgers with Brie, Bacon and Caramelized Pears

Seriously, with that combination of ingredients, it’s little wonder this appealed to me! My only quibble with this recipe is that I found the patties a bit too wet, as they didn’t hold together too well. The burgers, however, were delicious! I got 4 good-sized patties and 2 little ones. You could use lean beef instead of bison, of course.

1 lb. of ground bison
½ onion, grated
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp. salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 slices center-cut bacon
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 pears, cut in half, cored and thinly sliced
4 tsp. brown sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
4 oz. brie
2 cups arugula
4 buns

In a large bowl, combine ground bison, grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Do not overmix.

In a large non-stick skillet, cook bacon. Drain on paper towels. Remove all but one teaspoon of bacon grease.

In the same pan, melt butter over a medium-high heat, swirling pan until butter browns. Add in pears, brown sugar, salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until just softened, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a grill pan over a medium high heat. Form bison mixture into four patties. Grill burgers until desired doneness, about 2-3 minutes per side for medium. When the burgers are almost done cooking, top with brie and pour two tablespoons of water into the pan; cover until cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.

Drizzle buns with olive oil and grill until slightly toasted. Slather with a little bit of mayo.

Top the bottom of each bun with a handful of arugula, then the patty, followed by bacon and pears.

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