Char Grilled Buffalo Cheeseburgers With Oven Sweet Potato Fries

Hold onto your breeches because this perfect pairing is very healthy and doesn't taste like it! Admittedly, you could make the burger even healthier by using veggie burgers but those would not go over well with Mr. Snoots, so this is about as healthy as it gets for us.


I remember eating buffalo meat as a child and hating it because it was like eating an old shoe. Those days are long gone and today's buffalo is excellent in flavor and variety of cuts.


Now, the sweet potato fries can be tricky and will probably take several *tries* before you get them like you want them, adjusting size, thickness, oven temperature, and time, to suit your needs. On the other hand, the burgers are pretty much a no-brainer, even for the most inexperienced home cooks.


Char Grilled Buffalo Burgers With Cheese:

Ingredients:

Serves 2

1 lb. ground buffalo meat

2 sesame seed buns

mayonnaise & mustard

sliced tomatoes, pickles, and onions

slices of American cheese


Directions:

1. Divide the ground buffalo into 2 servings and proceed to shape them into patties, being sure to really pack them (so as to avoid the meat being uneven around the edges or eventually falling apart).

2. When coals are ready on the grill, cook the burger patties to desired doneness.

3. If the buns are fresh, I just enclose them in foil and toss on the fire with the burgers. If not that fresh, I lightly butter both sides of each bun and lightly toast them under the oven broiler.

4. Assemble, add sweet potato fries, and serve.


Oven Sweet Potato Fries:

 Ingredients:

 1 medium - large sweet potato

olive oil (I use garlic infused extra-light olive oil

Lawry's Lite Seasoned Salt (or sea salt), to taste


Directions:

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into whatever size you desire. I usually cut them about 1/4' thick and 4-5" in length.

2. Place them in an accommodating dish and pour about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over them and toss until entirely coated. They can stand until ready to bake.

3. Preheat oven to anywhere between 375 degrees F and 425 degrees F. The bigger the cuts, the higher the temperature.

4. Allow the oiled fries to drain in a colander for a few minutes. Add to cookie sheet (covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper that has been sprayed with a vegetable spray.

5. Lightly sprinkle seasoned salt (or sea salt) evenly over the cut fries.

6. Place in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the tray, turn the fries, and return to oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. The first few times you try them, you'll learn to adjust to what you need.

7. Remove from oven, allowing to cool for a minute before serving. If you'd like to serve with a more festive presentation, line short glasses with napkins or paper towels, with the back points sticking up and the front point folded down.

Enjoy!