They say “the only way to get a good burger is to make your burger at home.” I’m sure this is not meant to be a universal truth – everyone knows that some people manage to make quite horrible burgers at home. To make a bad burger at home I think is really something of an achievement. You almost have to out of your way to ignore the simple requirements a great home burger demands.
(I won’t go into what they are as it has been done to death and that is what Google is for. Although I suppose that if you are too lazy to Google for yourself you are also too lazy to make a good burger anyway…)
On the other hand I will quite often have a restaurant burger that reminds me what a good chef can accomplish without a lot of effort. These burgers go just a bit beyond “select only top quality meat and use good technique.” These burgers actually have a (gasp) recipe! The patty seasonings are more specific that “salt and pepper the meat” and might involved adding things like chopped shallots, Worchester sauce, capers, chopped green onions, thyme, etc. (Much to my chagrin some back yard chefs can’t even manage salt and pepper!) Condiments are then specified to complement the selected flavors in the meat. The results outperform the effort every time and yet the outcome is still unmistakably a burger.
Does that seem so hard? Google is your friend.
Dorie Greenspan’s Slow Roasted Tomatoes are half condiment/half accompaniment to this dish. I was a bit slow to the party in making this FFwD dish but it wasn’t hard to find a use for them. I have made them countless times for pizza toppings, goat cheese salads, fish, pastas, etc.
Their bold flavor made them fit right in along side this Bison Burger. Tuck them in to selected bites. Sip cab. Repeat.
Bison Burgers with Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Adapted from Epicurious
This is what you will need:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups sliced onions (about 2)
- 3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 pound ground bison
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices white cheddar cheese
- Dijon mustard
- Arugula
This is how you make it:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium - high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.
- Preheat broiler.
- Gently mix meat, 1 T. olive oil and the next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until well browned, about 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Broil until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Spread bottom halves with mustard. Top each with a few escarole leaves, then burger. Spoon onions atop burgers, dividing equally. Cover with bun tops; press lightly.
The burger looks wonderful! But the slow roasted tomatoes sound fabulous and I’m afraid to say we’ve never made them! THAT will have to change.
Keep on Kookin’!
Mmmmmm…your bison burgers look fabulous, Trevor! Perfect to showcase your marvelous roasted tomatoes. Usually I just salt and pepper our burgers…my kids drown them in so much ketchup that it hardly seems worth the effort to make a gourmet version (but I did make myself a Dorie burger for our next FFwD…SO good!).
Your bison burger looks simply delicious! And love that you made the slow-roasted tomatoes!
Wow, Trevor! Thanks for the HUGE compliment. All I can say is, “Right back at ya!”. I had thought of using these tomatoes on pizza, but not with fish – which seems so obvious! A wonderful idea!
I totally agree with your take on burgers & am looking forward to this week’s FFWD recipe.
Enjoy your week!
Your burgers look wonderful! I hope you make the Cafe Pleyel burgers so that you can compare recipes.
The roasted tomatoes complement so many different foods. I have kept a jar in my refrigerator since making these. They are a wonderful condiment to have on hand.
Delightfully tantalizing!!!!
I am such a huge fan of bison meat – and glad to see that you rec just 2-3 minute’s per side. I cannot STAND well done meat. All red meat is best on the raw/rare side, don’t you think? So happy that you found a use for Dorie’s tomato “recipe.”
This sounds like a perfect use (one of many) for these tomatoes. I think they’re highly addictive.
I did miss this one, looks amazing!