Bison Burgers

Should have put the lettuce and tomato under the burger to give you a better idea of the finished product. I'll take another photo next time. And there will certainly be a next time!

I keep hearing about Bison (or Buffalo) meat and how it's a healthier alternative to beef. I've read that it's much leaner than beef. I've also read that, as a result, it can be a bit dry. So I've been hunting for the perfect recipe to experiment with and I found it yesterday from Simply Recipes.

The result? Outstanding! I don't know if it's because it has been months since I've had a burger, but I really enjoyed this meal. Bison makes for a very tasty burger and I must say, it really doesn't taste all that different from a traditional beef burger. The combination of sage and a smoky barbeque sauce (I used Kansas City style) was superb. The onions added an excellent complimentary flavor. Although, next time, I'd use a bit more.

I was careful not to overcook, which would certainly dry out the meat. My meat thermometer (a grilling essential) was on the fritz, so I eyeballed it. But I'd suggest pulling the burgers from the grill at 140 degrees.

The only downside is price. I paid $7.49 a pound for the bison meat. I think I'd rather eat a great steak at that price. But if you're craving a burger, this is a great way to satisfy that urge.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground bison
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Smoky BBQ sauce (I recommend Kansas City style)

Grilled Lemon-Honey Chicken Breasts

You can never learn enough ways to cook chicken. Boneless/skinless chicken breasts are probably the healthiest meat around, but if you don't have enough different recipes in your arsenal, they can get boring in a hurry.

That's why this recipe that I found on www.epicurious.com jumped out at me. I love the taste of lemon. It gives everything it touches such a nice, fresh and clean flavor. This dish was easy to prepare and was quite tasty. I'd just recommend marinating it for a bit longer than the minimum one hour the recipe suggests. In fact, as with any marinade, the longer the better.


Grilled Lemon-Honey Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 4 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

Chipotle Rubbed Pork Chops

My unofficial nutritionist isn't going to like seeing this post. She's been trying to get me to ditch pork from my diet. And truth be told, I've substantially reduced my pork intake. But this recipe from Grillgrrrl.com was too good to pass up.

I invited my friend Dan over for dinner. Dan was quite intrigued by the reverse sear technique I posted about earlier this week, so I thought I'd have him over to try this—along with the Grilled Romaine Salad below. He was blown away, calling it "restaurant quality" and "the best pork I've ever eaten." He raved about the salad, too. I agree with him. It's quickly become one of my favorite recipes. Let me know what you think.

Reverse Seared Chipotle Rubbed Pork Chops (from GrillGrrrl.com)

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops
• Tbsp olive oil

Rub recipe

• Tbsp chipotle or chili powder
• Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Grilled Romaine Salad

Granted, I'm a newbie in the world of vegetables. But I had never, ever heard of grilling a salad before. So I had to give it a try. I must say, it's pretty good. The fire-kissed veggies have a whole different flavor. So much so, that no salad dressing is needed—just light olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper. This is one of two recipes I'll be sharing from Grillgrrrl.com, which has quickly become one of my favorite sites for healthy grilling tips.

Ingredients:

• Romaine hearts
• Mini peppers
• Scallions
• Cucumbers (sliced lengthwise)
• Cherry tomatoes (skewered)
• Olive oil
• Fresh grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

The Reverse Sear

My family—especially my father—has long complimented me on my grilling skills. But to be honest, I really had no idea what I was doing. I threw the meat on the grill, stayed close by to watch for flareups and flipped the meat periodically until it hit the appropriate temperature. But there's a science behind grilling, and I've enjoyed reading up on it in recent weeks. Yesterday, I deployed some of my new knowledge. The result? Some pretty amazing strip steaks.

I grilled the steaks using what's called the reverse sear technique. Essentially, it calls for slow cooking the steaks over indirect heat before searing them for a few minutes to finish them off. I won't bore you with the details, but this method does something with the meat's enzymes to maximize tenderness. If you'd like to read more, visit Amazingribs.com for a complete breakdown.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Corn on the Cob is a trademark of the summer season. And there's no better way to prepare it on a hot summer night than on the grill. This is a technique that I learned from my friend Robyn at Simply Fresh Dinners, and it's sure to give you the sweetest, tastiest corn that you've ever eaten.