I got a text from my mom asking me about these recipes from Alaska and Hawaii, so I guess I better get to sharing! Burgers. One of my favorite things. Made even more amazingly twisted with these Blueberry Bison Burgers with Pinot Noir Caramelized Red Onions.
Well, sandwiches are one of my favorite things, but what is a burger but a fancy name for a sandwich. Amiright?
I mentioned yesterday how Alaska’s great white wilderness provides lots of raw, fresh and unique ingredients for the eating. Game meat being one. Wild berries being another. Let’s combine them, shall we?
The idea of a berry burger is nothing new. While I’ve never made them before, I’ve seen recipes here and there on the interwebs, and so I’m going to throw my own version into the mix. I couldn’t find any watermelon berries or crowberries, so blueberries had to suffice. I’m excited about these: it’s giving me an excuse to 1) empty my freezer by using some frozen blueberries and 2) buy bison meat at the market, which I love, but don’t come up with excuses to buy often enough.
Like with my ice cream, salads and oatmeal, burger toppings can make or break the whole enchilada, so I’m topping mine with some gorgeous red wine caramelized red onions, tangy blue cheese and a grilled pretzel bun. Because…PRETZEL BUN. Served alongside some grilled sweet potato chips and preceding some apple cobbler, this was one happy meal.
Blueberry Bison Burgers
Blueberry Bison Burgers with Pinot Noir Caramelized Red Onions are a delicious and different version of a regular burger with a nod to the American northwest.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 palmful of grill seasoning (I use McCormick Steak Seasoning)
- 1/2 cup frozen and thawed blueberries
- 1 TB Balsamic vinegar
- 1 TB Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- For the onions:
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pinot noir (or any not-too-sweet red wine you have on hand)
- ½ TB olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- To assemble:
- 4 large pretzel buns
- Blue Cheese, crumbled
Directions
- Step 1 First, start the onions. Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large saute pan. Add the onions and let them get brown and soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Once they’re nice and soft, add the wine to deglaze the pan and let cook until all the liquid has evaporated.
- Step 2 While the onions are cooking, make the burgers. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients. Using your hands, mix well, smashing the blueberries as you go. However, do not overmix, and stop when the ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Step 3 Divide the mixture into four equal portions
- Step 4 form into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Brush with a bit of olive oil on all sides.
- Step 5 Heat the grill (or broiler, if you don’t have a grill) to medium-high. Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Step 6 If you want to grill the buns, brush each side with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook until toasted to desired level.
- Step 7 Top each burger with the onions and cheese. Eat and be happy.
- Step 8 Blueberry Bison Burgers with Pinot Noir Caramelized Red Onions are a delicious and different version of a regular burger with a nod to the American northwest.
