The Ultimate Gourmet Burger Experience
When you bite into these patties, you instantly understand why elevated ingredients make all the difference. The rich, low-melting fat of boneless short ribs weaves through tender, coarsely processed beef and deep, savory bison, creating a burger that is impossibly juicy, tender, and bursting with rich, steakhouse-level flavor in every single bite. It’s a bold, fragrant, bouncy patty that effortlessly outshines any basic restaurant burger.
While sourcing quality cuts like bison and short ribs is an investment, every penny pays off the moment that savory, caramelized crust hits your grill. Best of all, this recipe is surprisingly effortless with a little pre-planning! By processing your meats in quick, simple steps and flash-freezing the patties unsalted, you lock in peak freshness without compromising on texture. Stash a batch in your freezer, and suddenly, an extraordinary, gourmet burger night is ready to happen any night of the week—no reservation required!
Equipment
- 1 Cookie sheet
- Cling film
- 1 Large bowl chilled
- 12 cup food processor or large capacity
- Parchment paper cut into round
- 1 Burger mold 4.5 inch wide x 3/4 inch high
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- Kitchen paper
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground bison chilled
- 1.5 lbs. short rib meat
- 1 lb. ribeye or chuck roast
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground thyme
Added Before Grilling
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the large bowl into the refrigerator and allow it to cool. Cover cookie sheet with cling film and set aside. Cut parchment paper into rounds
- Rinse meat in cold running water. Thoroughly dry the meat.
- Trim & Cube Beef — Trim short ribs yielding 1.5 lbs. meat. Cut short rib meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Trim excess fat from your choice of chuck or ribeye, removing the hard white silver skin. Then cut into uniform 1/2-inch pieces and place the meat onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- In a single layer spread the short rib pieces and chuck/ribeye pieces onto the lined cookie sheet. Keep the short ribs and chuck/ribeye separately on the cookie sheet. Freeze for 15–20 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
- Process Short Ribs FIRST this creates the baseline for what the end products should look like. Pulse the chilled short rib meat in short, quick bursts, until coarse and pebbly, about the size of small peas. Transfer to a large, chilled bowl. This will provide you with how far to process the chuck/ribeye.
- Process chuck or ribeye SEPARATELY: Pulse separately in short bursts until it breaks down to match the exact pebbly size of the short ribs.
- If using Ribeye Steak: remember it is extremely tender and behaves alot like short ribs. Pulse lightly with short quick bursts until it matches the pebbly size of the short ribs, making sure it does not turn to paste.
Do Not Salt
- Sprinkle all the seasonings powders, except the SALT onto the processed beef. Add the cold ground bison on top. Gently fold together by hand until just combined. Do not overwork the gourmet burger blend.
- Portion into 12 equal 6-ounce patties, placing them onto the parchment rounds. Each pattie should be shaped into 4.5″ inches” wide rounds and 3/4 inch thick.
- Press a wide, shallow 1/4 inch thumb depression in the very center of the top side. This keeps the middle from mounding up into a baseball shape, ensuring the top brioche bun sits flat and stable on your burger!
Notes
Do Not Salt The Burger Mix:
Salting the raw meat before freezing draws out its natural juices, drying out the patties as they thaw. More importantly, salt dissolves meat proteins and acts like a glue, curing the coarse ground beef and bison into a dense, rubbery, sausage-like texture. Leaving the mix unsalted until right before grilling keeps the interior incredibly juicy and tender while allowing a deep, savory crust to form on the outside.
When To Salt Burgers:
Generously sprinkle Kosher salt on both sides right before laying patties on the hot grates.
Unsalted Flash-Freeze: Arrange shaped patties onto lined cookie sheet. Make sure they are not touching each other. Freeze uncovered for 1–2 hours until rock-solid, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in freezer Ziploc bags up to 3 months. Slow Defrost/Thaw: Transfer patties to the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking for gradual moisture reabsorption.  High-Heat Grilling: Cook on a 500°F–600°F grill. Leave untouched for 3 minutes until a natural crust forms and releases naturally from the grate, flip, and finish cooking. The Chill Factor: Keeping everything chilled, prevents the fat from melting.
Don’t Overwork The Burger Mix
To prevent the burgers from becoming tough, don’t overwork the mix. Combine until seasonings and meat are thoroughly and uniformly mixed.
Unsalted Flash-Freeze: Arrange shaped patties onto lined cookie sheet. Make sure they are not touching each other. Freeze uncovered for 1–2 hours until rock-solid, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in freezer Ziploc bags up to 3 months. Slow Defrost/Thaw: Transfer patties to the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking for gradual moisture reabsorption.  High-Heat Grilling: Cook on a 500°F–600°F grill. Leave untouched for 3 minutes until a natural crust forms and releases naturally from the grate, flip, and finish cooking. The Chill Factor: Keeping everything chilled, prevents the fat from melting.
Don’t Overwork The Burger Mix
To prevent the burgers from becoming tough, don’t overwork the mix. Combine until seasonings and meat are thoroughly and uniformly mixed.
Nutrition
Serving: 12ServingsCalories: 179kcalCarbohydrates: 0.5gProtein: 18gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 57mgPotassium: 311mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 2mg
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