Sous Vide Bison Burgers
Sous Vide Bison Burgers are a great way to take your burger game up a notch. By cooking the bison burgers in a water bath, you can achieve a level of juiciness and flavor that is simply not possible with traditional methods!
Hamburgers are an iconic food that is consumed all over the world. Whether it is a fast food chain or a local pub, chances are good that bison burgers are on the menu. While there are many different ways to prepare bison burgers, sous vide is one of the best methods.
Sous vide is a French cooking method in which food is sealed in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooked in a water bath at a very precise temperature. This cooking method allows for the food to retain its natural flavors and juices, as well as ensuring that it is cooked evenly throughout.
Ground bison is a type of ground meat that is made from buffalo. Bison is a very lean and hearty meat, making it perfect for burgers. When cooked properly, bison burgers are juicy and flavorful, with a texture that is similar to beef.
If you are looking for a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional hamburgers, then sous vide bison burgers are the way to go!
Once it comes out of the bag, use your favorite finishing method and serve with your favorite burger toppings like Thousand Island Dressing, cheese slices, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup or your favorite sauces. And don’t forget the vegetables like french fries and coleslaw!
✅Why Sous Vide Bison Burger Patties?
- You can cook bison burgers in large or small batches and store them in the freezer for quick and easy meals.
- It cuts down on cooking time when used for meal prep. Remove, sear, and enjoy!
- No need to worry about overcooking or undercooking your bison burgers. The water bath ensures that they are cooked evenly throughout.
- It’s a great way to achieve a juicy burger without all the hassle.
- Feed a crowd. Sous vide patties can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to sear and serve.
🍔Ingredients and Equipment
- Ground Bison – You’ll want to use high-quality ground bison if possible. This will ensure the best taste and texture. Look for ground bison with 20% fat content or less.
- Seasonings – A simple mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder can be used to season your bison burgers if desired. You can also leave them plain and season them before or after your preferred finishing method.
Equipment
- Immersion Circulator – The best immersion circulator by Anova is top-of-the-line quality and has a great app that connects with your phone. You can also use budget-friendly sous vide machine such as the SAKI or InkBird brand.
- Freezer Safe Bags – These thick ziploc bags are used for the water displacement method.
- Large Pot or Sous Vide Container – If you’re cooking a lot with the sous vide, it’s helpful to have a container that’s perfectly sized to hold the immersion circulator and the food its cooking. Otherwise, you can use a large pot or heat-safe container.
- Sous Vide Clips or Sous Vide Weights – These accessories are made to keep the food submerged in the water while it cooks to make sure it cooks evenly. You can purchase these or use a heavy kitchen utensil and binder clips.
Check out The Best Sous Vide Accessories for a perfect cooking experience!
📖How To Sous Vide Bison Burgers
1️⃣Preheat the water bath: Add water to a large container or pot to fit your bison burgers and insert the immersion circulator. Set the temperature according to the chart below.
2️⃣Season the bison burgers: If desired, season your bison burgers with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can also leave them plain and season them before or after cooking.
3️⃣Add to freezer-safe bags: Using the water displacement method (explained below), add the bison burgers to a freezer-safe bag and seal them properly.
4️⃣Sous vide: Cook the bison burgers in the water bath for the time indicated in the chart below. Once they are finished cooking, remove them from the bags, let them rest for 10 minutes, and pat dry with paper towels.
5️⃣Finish as desired: You can cook the bison burgers in a cast iron skillet, on a grill, or under the broiler. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with your favorite toppings like Thousand Island Dressing, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, and bacon.
🧊Sous Vide Frozen Bison Burgers
You can easily sous vide a frozen burger patty using the same instructions. Just increase the cooking time 30 minutes to ensure that the burger has time to defrost and cook through.
⏲Best Time and Temperature to Sous Vide Bison Burgers
How long to cook bison burgers sous vide and at what temperature depends on how well done you enjoy your burger patties. The chart below is a general recommendation but will depend on the size of your burger patties, the type of meat, and how long you cook them.
- Rare: 120F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is pink throughout from edge to edge.
- Medium Rare: 130F for 1 hour. Produces a pink burger that is slightly firmer than rare.
- Medium Well: 140F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is slightly pink in the center and firm to the touch.
- Well Done: 150F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is brown throughout and firm to the touch, and less pink.
🔥Finishing Methods
Once your burger is cooked to your liking, use the following methods to get a rich crust on the burger and cook to your liking before adding to a bun.
- Pan Sear – Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat with your favorite cooking oil or vegetable oil. Sear the bison burgers for about 60-90 seconds per side or until you get a nice crust.
- Gas Grill – Preheat your grill to high heat and cook the bison burgers for about 60-90 seconds per side flip with a spatula, or until you get your desired crust or grill marks.
- Broil – Place the bison burgers on a wire rack on a baking sheet and broil on high for about 60-90 seconds per side.
- Air Fry – Use your air fryer or Ninja Foodi to finish the bison burgers. Cook in a preheated air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 60-90 seconds per side.
👩🏼🍳Sous Vide Cooking Tips
- Use the water displacement method instead of vacuum sealing for the best results. The vacuum sealer may compress the burger too much, giving it a tough texture.
- When choosing your temperature to cook, keep in mind that the searing process will also cook the burger, so you may want to slightly undercook the burger depending on your preferred finishing method.
- After your burger patties are removed from the water bath, it’s important to let them rest as the juices redistribute. This will help prevent your burger from being overcooked when you sear it.
- If you are cooking for a large group, cook the bison burgers ahead of time and then sear them right before serving. You can also keep them warm in a low-temperature water bath until they are ready to be served.
- The best type of beef to use for sous vide bison burgers has a fat content of at least 20%. This will help ensure that your bison burgers are juicy and flavorful.
❄️Storage
Storing: If not used immediately, place the cooked bison burgers in an ice bath for 10 minutes to bring the temperature down. Then, store them in the fridge for up to four days.
Reheating: When ready to eat, remove the bison burgers from the fridge and let them sit out for 15 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel and cook the bison burgers for about 60-90 seconds per side with your favorite finishing method.
Freezing: If you’d like to freeze sous vide bison burgers, place them in a freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible. Then, store them in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, defrost overnight or cook the bison burgers from frozen using your favorite finishing method.
❔FAQ
How long do you sous vide a bison burger?
Generally, your burger will be fully cooked and pasteurized after one hour of cook time. Do not sous vide burger patties past four hours, or the texture will start to break down and become grainy.
Is it worth it to sous vide bison burgers?
Yes, if you have trouble cooking the perfect temperature burger, then the sous vide method may be the best way to cook burger patties as it cooks from edge to edge exactly the way you want it to with no babysitting!
Are sous vide bison burgers safe?
When food is cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath, it is cooked evenly throughout and pasteurized depending on how long you keep it in, which makes it safe to eat even if the meat looks very pink.
Can you sous vide frozen bison burgers?
Yes, frozen bison burgers can easily be sous vide using the same instructions. The water bath will thaw and cook the meat accordingly.
🍗More Sous Vide Recipes
- Sous Vide Chicken Breast and Chicken Thighs
- Sous Vide Pot Roast
- Sous Vide Lobster Tails
- Sous Vide Whole Chicken
- Sous Vide Frozen Steak
- Sous Vide Frozen Chicken Wings
Sous Vide Bison Burgers
Ingredients
- 8 oz Ground Bison shaped into burger patties
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Add water to a large container or pot to fit your burgers and insert the immersion circulator. Set the temperature according to the chart below.
- If desired, season your burgers with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can also leave them plain and season them before or after cooking.
- Using the water displacement method (explained below), add the burgers to a freezer-safe bag and seal them properly.
- Cook the burgers in the water bath for the time indicated in the chart below. Once they are finished cooking, remove them from the bags, let them rest for 10 minutes, and pat dry with paper towels.
- You can cook the burgers in a cast iron skillet, on a grill, or under the broiler. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with your favorite toppings like Thousand Island Dressing, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, and bacon.
Notes
⏲Best Time and Temperature to Sous Vide Bison Burgers
How long to cook bison burgers sous vide and at what temperature depends on how well done you enjoy your burger patties. The chart below is a general recommendation but will depend on the size of your burger patties, the type of meat, and how long you cook them.- Rare: 120F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is pink throughout from edge to edge.
- Medium Rare: 130F for 1 hour. Produces a pink burger that is slightly firmer than rare.
- Medium Well: 140F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is slightly pink in the center and firm to the touch.
- Well Done: 150F for 1 hour. Produces a burger that is brown throughout and firm to the touch, and less pink.
