LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Bison burgers may be best bet for backyard Fourth of July BBQ


Boursin Bison Burger Photo Susie Iventosch

Burgers seem to be just the right fare for a Fourth of July barbecue. And, bison is my burger of choice, so whenever we make burgers at home, I always try to have bison on hand. It's a bit leaner than beef and the flavor is delicious. We have begun mixing Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese right in with the meat and it makes the burger super moist and flavorful. We also mix in a little bit of grated Gruyere cheese sometimes, and that is especially yummy. You can also simply add a slice of your favorite cheese on top, or leave the extra cheese off all together, since you already have the Boursin mixed into the burger. Boursin is just a wonderful, creamy cheese and it's offered it in several flavors, including Shallot & Chive, Cracked Black Pepper, Basil and Chive and a limited edition of Parsley & Lemon, any of which would be great in this burger. Most grocers carry at least one or two of these flavors, so it should be easy to find.

Now, when it comes to grilling burgers, I don't know if you have this same problem, but sometimes the burger meat sticks to the grill, making it look kind of shredded and rough. Plus, you lose some of the meat to the grill. This usually only happens on the first side that you place down on the grill. The reason it doesn't happen on the second side, is because, due to the heat of the barbecue, the top half of the meat has a chance to set up and therefore it's a little bit cooked before you flip it onto the grill. Well, my husband and sons came up with a clever and easy solution. They place the burger on a piece of foil (sprayed with cooking spray) before putting it on the grill. This allows the meat to set up from the heat before any of it is placed directly onto the grill. It's magic. We cook the first side for 5-6 minutes, and then flip the burger directly onto the grill for the second side to cook. Depending upon how well done or rare you like your meat, the second side takes anywhere from 2-5 minutes, even with a slice of cheese on top.

If you haven't tried this method of cooking burgers, give it a shot. For us, the burgers come out perfectly every time. Happy Fourth of July to all of you!

For more information on Boursin Cheese: https://www.boursin.com/.

Boursin Bison Burgers

(Makes 3-4, depending how big you like your burger)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground bison (can also use ground beef, turkey or lamb)

3-4 tablespoons Boursin cheese (we like Garlic & Fine Herbs or Shallot & Chive for this recipe)

3-4 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese (or your favorite cheese)

1 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt (or your favorite seasoning salt)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3-4 thick slices of red onion (cooked separately on the grill)

1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing both sides of the onion slices)

3-4 hamburger buns

All the fixings: pickles, mustard, ketchup, sliced avocado, sliced tomato, lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS

Mix bison with Boursin, grated cheese, seasoning salt, and pepper until thoroughly integrated. Form into however many patties you usually make from one pound of meat. You can make these several hours ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to grill.

Heat the grill to medium.

Place each burger on an individual piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Place foil side on the grill and cover the barbecue. Cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side. Using hot mitts or a spatula, flip the burger from the foil directly onto the grill, now with second side of the burger facing down. If you're using sliced cheese on top, place the cheese on top of the burger and continue to cook over medium heat for another 2-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the burger is cooked to your satisfaction.

During the grilling process, place the thick onion slices on the top rack of the grill if you have one, or off to the sides if you don't. Cook them until done (we like them a bit al dente) and black stripes begin to form on the onions. Remove from the grill and keep warm.

Assemble the burger, grilled onions and all the fixing on the buns and dive in!