The quintessential Buffalo Burger, complete with Buffalo Bacon, Blue Cheese and a touch of fruit preserves! This – soon to be new favorite, will have you making it again, and again and again. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 – 1 lb. Ground Buffalo 3 – tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more 1/2 – teaspoon mustard 2 – teaspoon ketchup 1/2 – teaspoon thyme 2 – teaspoon salt & pepper 1 – 10 oz. package Buffalo Bacon 6 – ounces blue cheese ½ – cup chokecherry or plum preserves, warmed 6 – hamburger buns Preparation: 1.) Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, mustard, ketchup, thyme, salt and pepper together. 2.) Mix above with Ground Buffalo until well incorporated. 3.) Divide into 6 portions and at pat out into bun size patties. 4.) In large skillet over medium high heat, add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Place buffalo bacon in pan and cook until crispy or desired doneness, turning once during cooking time. 5.) Preheat grill to high heat, 500 degrees. Insure grill grates are clean. 6.) Brush burgers with a little oil and place on grill. Close grill lid during grilling time. Grill for 2.5 minutes. Turn burgers and top with blue cheese. Close lid and grill for an additional 3 minutes. 7.) Remove burgers from heat, and allow too rest for a few minutes. 8.) Place Buffalo Blue Burgers on bun, drizzle with a little of the warmed preserves and top with Buffalo Bacon. Delicious!
Knock Your Socks Off
Finding high quality foods with no antibiotics or hormones, no added fillers, non-gmo, etc., is one of our highest priorities in health as a family. The Wild Idea team is, hands down, one of our favorite local businesses that we completely trust to nourish our little ones and ourselves. Since using the Wild Idea soup bones to make homemade bone broth, we’ve literally never felt as strong in our lives as we do now. Our additional favorites include the buffalo burger, liver, melt-in-your-mouth steaks, and holy buffalo give yourself an experience and try the buffalo bacon! If you enjoy creating meals that are top quality, affordable, and crazy delicious, Wild Idea meats will knock your family members and guests socks off and have them licking their plates for more. It’s really quite a sight to see! Ox-Bone Soup Recipe
Wild Idea Buffalo & Celebrities in Washington D.C.
Every Sunday millions of Americans tune into to CBS to watch Bob Schieffer anchor “Face the Nation.” So you can imagine our excitement when Bob recently told us he loves buffalo as we all enjoyed some buffalo burgers with him from Wild Idea Buffalo, which is 100% grass-fed buffalo. Wild Idea Buffalo and Bob’s band, Honky Tonk Confidential, came together with The Occidental restaurant in D.C. (www.occidentaldc.com) to benefit the MicroGreens Project. MicroGreens is a non-profit that helps families shop for, prepare and enjoy healthy foods within the confines of a government supplemented budget. The summer barbeque raised valuable funds and attention for this great initiative. Bob is also the author of a book containing commentaries about America. “My objective has never been to convert someone to my way of thinking, but merely to provoke thought, to explain a complicated subject, or to call attention to a human foible. The greatest compliment to me is not when viewers write to say they agree with my conclusion, but when they say, ‘I really never thought of it that way before,’” Bob has said. Well, maybe with this picture some of Bob’s viewers will think about adding healthy, American buffalo to their diets. – Adam Shapiro
In 5 days my little girl will become Mrs. Colton Jones
Months ago, Jilian came to us and asked if we would both give her away. Although we were both touched, I declined. “It would make me so happy and proud to watch you and Dan walk down the aisle”, I said. Dan has been a part of Jilians’ life for the past 14 years. Since they first met, his world would stop for hers. I know few fathers that are as attentive, loving and giving. He has been a wonderful father figure in all aspects, and has earned the right of walking his little girl down the aisle. The emotions are building, and in between final ranch beautification projects we take timeouts and have “tears of joy” sessions, in hopes to get it all out before the big day. Wish us luck on that one. The wedding dinner preparation has begun, and after preparing this month’s recipe this morning at 8:00am, I officially closed the kitchen. We have a delicious menu planed, leaving no time for “normal” cooking. Jilian and Colton’s Wedding Dinner June 9th, 2012 Hors d’oeuvres: Pheasant & Mushroom Croustades Vegetable Spring Rolls Savory Short Bread with Maytag Blue & Apricot Walleye Croquettes with Green Chili & Tomatillo Dinner: Creamy Watercress Soup Strawberry, Asparagus & Chevre Terrine, with Mixed Greens & Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Artisan Bread Cider Braised Chuck Roast with Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Sauce Red Skinned, Garlic Mashed Potatoes Roasted Vegetables Dessert: Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling & Butter Cream Frosting Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling and Sour Cream Ganache The next day, with the stresses removed, we will have a casual gathering and fire up the grill for BBQ Buffalo Burgers with Firecracker Coleslaw. A terrific recipe for graduation celebrations and fathers day! For recipe go to: http://wildideabuffalo.com/2012/b-b-q-buffalo-burgers-with-firecracker-coleslaw/ Best wishes to grads and thank you to dads! Cheers! Jill
B.B.Q Buffalo Burgers with Firecracker Coleslaw
Serves 6 to 8 2 lbs. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo 2 Tb. olive oil 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. black pepper Mix above ingredients all together, and form into 6 to 8 burgers. Set gas grill to high heat. 500+ degrees. Place burgers on grill and cook for 2.5 minutes each side, closing grill during cooking. Brush with B.B.Q. sauce and grill for an additional 30 seconds each side. Place burger on grilled French bread and top with Firecracker coleslaw. Jill’s BBQ Sauce In heavy Sauce pan over medium high heat, mix the following: 1 Tbl. Olive Oil ¼ Cup finely chopped Onion 2 tsp. chopped Garlic 1 tsp. Black Pepper ¼ tsp. Cayenne + to taste ½ tsp. each: Chili Powder, Cumin & Coriander dash Cinnamon Deglaze with: 1/4 cup Bourbon (Buffalo Trace) Add: 1.5 lbs. Ketchup 1 Tbl. Dijon Mustard 1 Tbl. Worcestershire Dash of Liquid Smoke Stir until well incorporated. Bring to a boil. Left over B.B.Q. Sauce can be refrigerated and used at a later time. Firecracker Coleslaw Toss together: 1 head Green Cabbage, halved and sliced thin 1 Red Onion, halved and sliced thin 2 grated Carrots 1 cup Pepperoncini de-stemmed and flash processed Dressing: ½ cup Mayonnaise ¼ cup Rice Vinegar 1 small tube Wasabi 1 Tb. Black Pepper 1 tsp. Salt Mix in blender and pour over cabbage, toss to coat and season to taste. Best if made the day before. Fresh with a clean spicy kick, great alone or served on the BBQ sandwich!
Jill’s Favorite Buffalo Burgers
Makes 3 to 4 Buffalo Burgers A little extra seasoning makes these buffalo burgers oh so good. Ingredients: 1 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon ketchup 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon salt & pepper 1 lb. Ground Buffalo Preparation: Mix all ingredients, but Buffalo together Add Buffalo& mix thoroughly with hands. Pat into 3 or 4, 1/2″ patties. Place in refrigerator to firm up burgers Grill over high heat (500* gas grill) for 3 minutes each side, closing grill lid during cooking time for Medium Rare. Finish with a sprinkle of high quality finishing salt
Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Buffalo Blue Burgers
Currently I am going through a Blue Cheese phase. Its rich creaminess with its full flavor calls my name on a daily bases. With this month’s recipe being our annual “Buffalo Burger” recipe, I thought it only appropriate to have it include Blue Cheese. There is nothing new about adding blue cheese to your burger, I needed more originality. So a few weeks ago I was discussing this with Cyd (By the way, Cyd’s back. Yeah!), and she started telling me how she loved onions & mushrooms on her burger but they were always falling off and so she started sautéing them first and stuffing the burger with them. Hmmm – I think she’s on to something. The last inspirational component came while eating a burger in NYC, where they served their burgers on a potato roll, a very nice compliment to the meat. Below are the results of my concoction. I served it to a group from Clemson last night and it was a huge hit!” Cheers – Jill
Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Blue Cheese Buffalo Burgers
If you are looking to please a group with a delicious buffalo burger, these savory stuffed buffalo burgers with Maytag Blue Cheese should certainly satisfy! Recipe approved by a group from Clemson University. 2 lbs. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo 2 Tbl. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 3 Tbl. butter 1 onion, diced 1 cup sliced mushrooms ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 6 to 12 oz. Maytag Blue Cheese 6 Potato Rolls Mix buffalo, olive oil and 1 tsp. each of salt & pepper together and form into 12 burgers. Make burgers a bit bigger then the bun to allow for shrinkage. Cover and refrigerate. In heavy sauté pan, over medium high heat melt butter. Add onions, ½ tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Edges should brown a bit. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and let cook until browned. About 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Remove Buffalo Burgers from refrigerator and spoon desired amount in the center of 6 burgers. Place the other burger on top and secure edges. Turn gas grill to high heat or get coals very hot with cleaned & oiled grid low to heat. Place burgers on grill over hot heat and grill for 3 minutes. Turn and top with 1 to 2 oz Blue Cheese and grill for an additional 3 minutes. Serve on Potato Rolls and serve with pickled crudites, lettuce and tomato garnie and Buffalo Chips (recipe for Buffalo Chips included with this months special). Wine Pairing: Alamos, Malbec, Argentina: Full and fruity with a hint of spice, carries the Blue Cheese and compliments the meat without overpowering.
Bison Foie Gras Burgers
As the economic downturn continues, and as a way of living more sustainably, many people are returning to growing their own gardens, canning, and using interesting cuts of meat. On the garden front, we live in a climate that grows buffalo a lot better then vegetables, but, we gave it a go anyway. My canning took me most of the day, created a big mess, and resulted in 8 jars of glorious tomatoes, 6 jars of pickles, and an aromatic batch of basil pesto. My line-up of jars seemed puny for the effort; but that night (nothing like waiting for winter), as I cracked open one of the jars of tomatoes to add to my Buffalo Italian Sausage, I knew my time had been well spent. Great ingredients make for great dishes with little added effort. On the meat front, it is once again important to use the whole animal, for sustainability purposes and to help stretch the dollar by using more economical cuts. Nuevo Cuisine restaurants have jumped on the whole animal band wagon too, and are now serving heart, tongue, and tripe. And, fancy chef cookbooks list organ meat recipes as “home-style favorites” that our grandparents ate. Over the years I have incorporated heart, tongue and liver into dishes. I have served theses culinary delicacies at fancy receptions, or added them to make a dish go a little further. The below recipe is one of my favorites. The taste is delicious and is as impressive as the name! Hope you enjoy it too. Ingredients 2 Tb. Olive Oil 2 tsp. Salt 1 Tb. Black Pepper ½ tsp. Smoked Paprika 1 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. Garlic Powder ¼ lb. Buffalo Liver (deveined, soaked in milk and blotted dry) 1 lb. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo ½ cup Panco Crumbs Remove any veins from liver, rinse under cold water and place in a milk bath for 4 hours. Remove from milk bath and pat dry. Place liver in food processor along with all of the seasonings. Flash process until smooth. Add ground buffalo in pieces and flash process – just to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Dust hands with panco crumbs and portion meat into 6 burgers, shaping into patties, about 3/4” thick. Dust both sides of patties with panco crumbs. On stovetop in heavy pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add burgers and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Serve Bison Foie Gras Burgers open face on toasted whole grain or wheat bread. Top with caramelized onions, diced apples and tomato jam. * I also like to serve these at cocktail parties as petite sliders. Follow recipe above, make patties 1 to 2 oz. portions and serve on toasted baguettes. Can also be made under the broiler in the oven. Wine Pairing Valley of the Moon, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Glen Ellen, Sonoma County, CA The sweet richness of the added liver to this burger requires a full robust wine. I couldn’t resist choosing a “Jack London” stomping ground cabernet as an accompaniment!
Bison Foie Gras Burgers
The sweet richness of the bison liver, create an intense, yet elegant flavor. Serve Bison Foie Gras Burgers open face on toasted french bread, and top with caramelized onions, diced apples and tomato jam. * I also like to serve these at cocktail parties as petite sliders. Follow recipe below, but make patties into 1 to 2 oz. portions, and serve on toasted baguettes. Can also be made under the broiler in the oven. Ingredients: 2 Tb. Olive Oil 2 tsp. Salt 1 Tb. Black Pepper ½ tsp. Smoked Paprika 1 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. Garlic Powder ¼ lb. Buffalo Liver (deveined, soaked in milk and blotted dry) 1 lb. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo ½ cup Panco Crumbs Remove any veins from liver, rinse under cold water and place in a milk bath for 4 hours. Remove from milk bath and pat dry. Place liver in food processor along with all of the seasonings. Flash process until smooth. Add ground buffalo in pieces and flash process – just to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Dust hands with panco crumbs and portion meat into 6 burgers, shaping into patties, about 3/4” thick. Dust both sides of patties with panco crumbs. On stovetop in heavy pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add burgers and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Wine Pairing Valley of the Moon, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Glen Ellen, Sonoma County, CA The sweet richness of the added liver to this burger requires a full robust wine. I couldn’t resist choosing a “Jack London” stomping ground cabernet as an accompaniment!
Red, White & Blue
A favorite of any who have tried. Serve as a main dish or as a delicious accompaniment to a Wild Idea Buffalo Burger or Steak! Serves 4 as entrée, or 6 as side dish. Ingredients: 8 oz. Penne pasta, cooked to a firm el dente 1 Tb. butter 1 tsp. olive oil ½ onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 oz. Portabellini mushrooms, sliced ½ cup sundried tomatoes, julienned 2 cups white wine + ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan ½ cup fresh basil, julienned 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese Prepare pasta, rinse under cold water and set aside. In heavy 4 qt. saucepan, over medium high heat, add butter and olive oil. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add sundried tomatoes and stir to incorporate. Add white wine and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Reduce liquid to half. Add cream and parmesan, stirring to incorporate. Increasing heat to bring to full heat. *If sauce becomes to thick add a splash more of wine. Add basil and stir. Divide pasta between 4 plates. Top with 1 oz. each of crumbled blue cheese. Garnish with fresh basil floweret. Makes a great main dish, but also excellent served as a side dish with sliced buffalo roast or grilled buffalo steak. Absolutely delicious! Wine Pairing: 2007, Cupcake Merlot, Central Coast, CA This dark and earthy merlot has subtle hints of cherry and chocolate. Thick on the palate, with a smooth full finish, makes this a wonderful compliment to the rich pasta dish.
Jill’s Favorite Buffalo Burgers
Wild Idea’s Ground Buffalo is 95% lean, delicious and very versatile. Use in any of your favorite dishes, such as Taco’s, Sloppy Joe’s and Meat Loaf. Below are a couple of my favorite buffalo burger recipe. Makes 6 to 8 Buffalo Burgers Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon ketchup 1 teaspoon thyme 2 teaspoon salt & pepper 2 lbs. Ground Buffalo Mix all ingredients, but Buffalo together. Add Buffalo & mix thoroughly with hands. Pat into 6 patties. Place in refrigerator to firm up burgers. Grill over high heat for 3 minutes each side for Medium Rare. Dan & I like to drizzle a little more olive oil over and sear for another half minute per each side for medium. This give the burgers a bit of a crust on the outside. Remove form the grill, and sprinkle with a high quality finishing salt. Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving. Serve on high quality buns, with your favorite toppings.
Wild Idea Ready Made Buffalo Burgers
For a super convenient, healthy, and delicious fast food, this is my number one go to Wild Idea Buffalo product.I find it easier to prepare these while the patties are still partially frozen. You are going to love them too! Preparation: 1) Partially thaw burgers, pull apart and place on a baking sheet or platter. 2) Preheat gas grill to 500 degrees. 3) Rub Wild Idea Ready Made Burgers with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 4) For medium rare burgers, place burgers on a hot grill, and grill for 2.5 minutes each side with the grill lid closed. 5) Remove from grill and sprinkle with a little high quality finishing salt. Dinner is on the table in under ten minutes!
Jim Harrison & Buffalo Bacon Cheeseburger
Our last visitor in July was author Jim Harrison. Jim and Dan have been friends for years, and up until a few years ago I had only been a fan. The first time I met Jim, we had been invited to Livingston by another author / friend who was doing research for a book on falconry.
Bacon & Buffalo Cheeseburgers
This Recipe was made for our dear friend Jim Harrison, who shares our love for a good bacon cheeseburger. (makes 6 to 8 burgers) Ingredients: 2 lbs. Ground buffalo Steak 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon ketchup 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoon salt & pepper 6 to 8 ounces Irish cheddar or good quality American cheddar 6 to 8 ounces happy bacon or Pancetta, pan fried 1 onion, sliced and sautéed lightly 6 to 8 hamburger buns or sour dough bread, lightly toasted 1.) Mix all spice ingredients, but Buffalo into paste. 2.) Add ground Buffalo and mix thoroughly together with hands. 3.) Pat into 6 or 8 patties, 1 inch thick. 4.) Grill buffalo burgers over high hot gas heat. Grill with lid closed for 2 minutes each side. Sprinkle cooked burgers with a finishing salt. 5.) Add cheese to cooked side, immediately after turning. 6.) Top with pan fried bacon or pancetta, and lightly sautéed onions. *It may be trendy to use different cheeses and exotic toppings on a burger, but there is nothing that replaces the classic. I have tried many cheeses for toppings and hands down cheddar is simply the best. Add your favorite condiments, but warm first. Wine Pairing: In honor of my memorable evening in Livingston MT. I choose a Chateau de Pez Saint Estephe 2002, Medoc Region France A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Fran, Merlot & Verdot. Fruity and earthy to the nose with a hint of spice and tobacco, that carries through to the palate. Medium bodied with a rich fullness and a lingering finish.