Home on the Range Buffalo Burger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients

Chunky Salsa Spread:
2 cups diced tomato
3/4 cup diced white onion
1 cup yellow bell pepper, minced
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Patties:
2 lbs ground buffalo
1/4 cup diced white onion
1 T Paprika
2 T Ground Cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
3 T chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fixings
12 pre-cooked bacon slices
Vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack
12 slices of thick (1’’) bread
Butter (to taste)
6 large tomato slices, 1/4'' thick
6 slices white onion, ¼’’ thick
18 spinach leaves

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the chunky salsa spread, combine the tomato, white onion, yellow bell pepper, Serrano chiles, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate until serving. To make the patties, combine the buffalo, white onion, paprika, ground cumin, oregano, garlic, cilantro, mint, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the toast. Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and grill until browned on the bottoms, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the patties and continue grilling until done to preference, about 5 minutes longer for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, brush the tops of the bread with butter and carefully place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. During the final minute, arrange bacon slices on a rimmed nonstick perforated grilling pan coated lightly with oil and grill alongside the patties. When the bacon is crisp, remove from the grill. When the patties are cooked (internal temperature of 160 degrees F), remove from the grill, stacking to keep warm. To assemble the burgers, place a generous amount of the Chunky Salsa Spread over the cut sides of the rolls. On the bottom piece of toast, place 3 spinach leaves, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, and a patty, and 2 strips of bacon. Add the roll tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers