Bison Bacon Jam Burger

The perfect summer burger with sweet and savory bacon jam.

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 13

Servings burgers

Calories 864kcal

Divide meat into 4 equal portions or 3 if you want slightly bigger burgers. Form each portion loosely into ¾ inch thick patties and press your thumb in the center to make a depression. (Burgers rise when cooked so this keeps it from becoming too thick) Season each side liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil or bacon fat and wait until it begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until slightly charred on the first side. It should take about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes if you want medium temperature. You'll do 1 minute shorter for medium rare or 1 minute longer for medium well.
Add the cheese with about 1 minute left and cover to help it melt. Serve on toasted pretzel roll and top with bacon jam as well as any toppings you'd like.

Use Quality Meat: When you eat a burger, it should taste good so don't skimp on the meat.
Keep Cold: Until the burgers are formed, the meat should be cold. Otherwise the fat becomes soft and pliable and will stick to your hands.
Don't Mess with the Meat: For tender burgers, you want to form your patties as tenderly as possible. The more time you take to form them, the tougher they will be.
Make a Thumbprint in Middle of Patty: Make a deep depression in the center of each patty to prevent if from bulging in the center when the burger naturally puffs up.
Season with Salt and Pepper Only: The burger should be seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. If you add other seasonings, that's basically meatloaf.
Flip Once: You should just flip the burger once, after a crust has formed, which should take 3-4 minutes. If you flip before the crust has formed you'll lose the shape.
Get the Correct Temperature: While every grill is different, below is a good guide to get the right temperature.
- Rare: 6 minutes
- Medium Rare: 7 minutes
- Medium: 8 minutes
- Medium-well: 9 minutes
- Well-done: 11 minutes
Choose Your Bun Wisely: Depending on the size of the burger will determine if you want a soft or more substantial bun. The thinner the burger, the softer the bun. But you can never go wrong with a pretzel role.