Chickpea, Mint, and Feta Burgers with Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Just checking in with a quick, tasty new burger recipe before Z and I jet off to Portland, Oregon for a few days!

The burgers and the yogurt-dill sauce in this recipe both use herbs we're growing right in our backyard. (Well, I accidentally planted "dill bouquet," but it still works). In addition to the dill, the burgers possess fresh, fragrant mint that helps complement the aromatic spices and the creamy feta. These burgers were quite a hit with Z, and I know they'll be a hit with your family, too!

Chickpea, Mint, and Feta Burgers with Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Yields: 4 burgers

Burgers:

-1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-1/2 small yellow onion, minced

-1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/2 teaspoon paprika

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1/8 cup yellow corn meal (or plain bread crumbs)

-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

-1/4 cup crumbled feta

-4 burger buns

-Sliced cucumber (optional)

Yogurt-Dill Sauce:

-1 5.3-ounce container plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

-1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

-Squirt of lemon juice

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Burgers:

1.) Place the chickpeas, onion, mint, and garlic in a food processor that's fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until combined and texture is mostly smooth, but still slightly chunky. (If you don't have a food processor, just mash the chickpeas with a fork and just be sure the mint is chopped).

2.) Spoon the chickpea mixture into a medium bowl and add spices, corn meal, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until combined, then taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Add feta and carefully stir to combine.

3.) Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. As oil is warming up, form the chickpea mixture into four equal-sized patties. Place patties in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully flip burgers and cook on the opposite side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. 

4.) Serve with generous slathers of yogurt-dill sauce and sliced cucumber.

Yogurt-Dill Sauce:

1.) In a small bowl, combine ingredients. Let chill in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

[Print this recipe] 

I loved how the cooling mint and the creamy yogurt-dill sauce complemented the smoky cumin and paprika. These burgers really tasted like summer, and I loved how some of the ingredients came right from our own backyard!

If you have several cans of chickpeas on-hand, I also recommend trying my Chickpea Burgers with Vegan Cilantro Mayonnaise.

Have you ever been to Portland, Oregon before? Any suggestions for where we should go?

White Bean Burgers with Garlic and Scallions

We're currently in eat-everything-in-the-house-before-we-leave-for-two-weeks mode. And the best ingredient to start a "dump" meal, in my opinion, is with a can of beans. Because, who doesn't have beans in their pantry? They're an easy protein to turn into a satisfying - and affordable - meal.

Here are some of my favorite meals that have started with a can of beans:

-Spicy Tofu Tacos with Corn and Black Bean Salsa
-Curry Hummus
-Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
-White Bean, Ricotta, and Pesto Pizza
-Indian-Style Chickpeas and Potatoes
-Homemade Black Bean Burgers

And now, I have a new one to add to this line-up: these White Bean Burgers with Garlic and Scallions. I made these spicy and savory burgers the other day - on IPA day - so we could pair them with a glass of Heady Topper. Let's just say, the pairing was a successful one!

Please excuse the mediocre photo...

White Bean Burgers with Garlic and Scallions
Yields: 3 medium-sized burgers
-1 15 ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 egg
-1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
-1/4 cup chopped scallions
-Generous pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
-1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-Squirt of lemon juice
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-3 slices of cheddar (we used spicy Buffalo Wing Cheddar - highly recommend it!)
-3 hamburger buns
-Arugula and tomato slices for garnish (or, whatever you desire)

Directions:
1.) Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse until mostly smooth.
2.) Pour beans and garlic in a medium-sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients (up until olive oil) and stir, ensuring mixture is well combined.
3.) Form bean mixture into 3 patties. Put patties on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; place in fridge for 30 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
4.) Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add burgers and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until browned and burgers are cooked through. Top burgers with cheese when there is about 1 minute of cooking time left.
5.) Place burgers on buns and top with arugula and tomato. Enjoy!

[Print this recipe]

These burgers were full of flavor thanks to the garlic, but also had a great bite of spice from the scallions and crushed red pepper. It's amazing what a can of beans can turn into!

Do you have a favorite recipe that involves beans? If so, what is it?

Shake Shack

Yesterday, I drove 30 minutes and waited in line for 45+ minutes for this:

Yes, I finally went to Shake Shack in Chestnut Hill. What you see pictured above is the 'Shroom Burger ($6.95), a fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, and topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce (whatever that is).

The burger's size was between a slider and a regular burger, which I appreciated - no one needs to eat eight serving sizes' worth of a fried burger stuffed with cheese. Its smaller size also helped me to appreciate its crispy, non-greasy exterior and the obviously good quality cheese that bursted out with every bite.

I washed my burger down with a ShackMeister Ale ($5), a beer made exclusively for Shake Shack by Brooklyn Brewery (it tastes just like their pale ale).

Surprisingly, your burger doesn't come with fries, so you have to order them separately. I went for a side of the plain fries ($2.70), but you could also get Cheese Fries ($3.70).

The fries were the perfect complement to my cheese-filled burger. The crinkle cut texture reminded me of the mass amounts of French fries I ate throughout my childhood, and every bite was wonderfully salty.

I didn't get a shake or any ice cream, but both of my dining companions ordered Concretes, which are dense frozen custards blended at high speed with mix-ins. They were both big fans, so I definitely plan to order one the next time I visit.

Also, just FYI: if you're not ordering food (just drinks and/or shakes and ice cream), there is a separate express line, so you don't have to wait in the massive line.

Overall, I was a fan of Shake Shack and definitely plan to make the 30-minute trip again in the near future!

Two unrelated notes:

Massachusetts friends: Governor Deval Patrick has asked residents to observe a moment of silence at 2:50 p.m. today, the time the first of the two bombs exploded near the Boston Marathon finish line last week. Bells will ring across the city and state after the minute-long tribute to the victims.

Remember my Sambazon juices and smoothies giveaway? I finally chose a winner (via Random.org): KrysR! Congrats, Krys - please email me at theeconomicaleater@gmail.com to claim your prize within 48 hours.

Stone Brewing Co. Dinner at 5 Napkin Burger

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a Stone Brewing Co. beer dinner at 5 Napkin Burger in Boston. The evening was filled with delicious eats, great beer and even a few familiar faces.

Jen and I.

The evening began with a cocktail half-hour in 5 Napkin's private event room, where we had the opportunity to mingle with the other guests, as well as a rep from Stone Brewing Co. Light appetizers (like guacamole and house-made chips) were also served. Then, we were brought into the dining room to sit at a large, family-style table to eat and imbibe the night away.

On the menu: Peel and Eat Shrimp & Beer Boil, served with Stone IPA (the chef graciously served us vegetarians his new tomato and avocado salad...it's brand new to the menu); Veggie Burgers, made with beets and lentils, served with the Arrogant Bastard Ale (omnivores also had the option of the Mushroom Bleu burger); sweet potato and French fries served family-style; and S'mores Pie, served with the Stone Smoked Porter.

Overall, I was very pleased with the pairings as a whole, not to mention the accommodating staff and the innovative dishes (beets + lentils, in a burger?! Yes, please).

The typical cost for 5 Napkin Burger's beer dinners is $45 including tax and gratuity. Their next beer dinner is taking place with Long Trail Brewing Company on April 24th.

Disclaimer: Z and I attended this dinner free of charge. Despite 5 Napkin Burger's generosity, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own. 

Vegetarian Ventures: White Bean Burgers

You may or may not know this about me yet, but...I love burgers. And even though I no longer eat meat, burgers are still one of my all-time favorite foods.

Since becoming a full-blown vegetarian, I've been experimenting with different veg-friendly burgers, including Homemade Black Bean. So, when I discovered a can of cannellini beans in my pantry the other night, I  decided to whip up a batch of white bean burgers - which I basically just made up as I went along.

White Bean Burgers
Yields: 4 burgers
-1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
-1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
-1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
-1 egg
-1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
-1 tsp. chili powder
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-Lemon juice, to taste
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-4 whole wheat hamburger buns
-4 slices of cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.) Place beans in a food processor, and pulse until smooth.
2.) Pour the pureed beans into a large bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients (except for the egg). Add more salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed; then, add the egg and mix well.
3.) Form bean mixture into 4 patties. Place the patties on a plate, and let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4.) Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the burgers and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until brown and crispy.
5.) Serve on whole wheat rolls with Dijon, sliced tomato and cheddar cheese. (I also served mine with Kettle Chips Spicy Thai potato chips - they are the best).

Although the texture of these burgers were surprisingly "meaty," I probably won't pulse the beans next time - I'll just mash them with a fork. Pulsing them made the mixture a little too smooth, which is why I placed them in the fridge for a few minutes - just so they were somewhat pliable. 

The chili powder, garlic and hint of parsley also worked very well together in this burger. 

Even when I still ate meat, I usually ordered a veggie burger when I went out to eat. If you're a meat eater, what's your take on vegetarian-friendly burgers?

Chickpea Burgers

It's amazing what an $0.89 can of chickpeas can be turned into.

The other night, I transformed a can of chickpeas that was sitting into my pantry into four, flavorful chickpea burgers. The process was simple: Mash the chickpeas with a combination of diced onions, garlic and a slew of spices; form the mixture into four patties; grill them; and eat. Easy, healthy and satisfying. 

Chickpea Burgers

Yields: 4 burgers

-15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-1/4 cup diced onion

-2 tablespoons dried parsley

-1 tablespoon cumin

-Pinch cayenne pepper

-2/3 cup plain bread crumbs

-1 teaspoon minced garlic

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1 egg

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-4 whole wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Directions:

1.) In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, onions, parsley, cumin, and cayenne until combined and mostly smooth.

2.) Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in the egg and form the mixture into four patties, about 2/3-inch thick each.

3.) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes more (or until golden brown on each side). 

4.) Serve on toasted burger buns. (Optional: slather my Vegan Cilantro Mayo on the buns for extra flavor).

The end result was a beautiful mix of textures, flavors and full-on protein. These babies are definitely becoming a staple in my kitchen!

Side note: Don't forget to enter my Gourmoo Cookoff Challenge giveaway - you could win a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Hummus Turkey Burgers

It's amazing how some blog posts can inspire dinner. Last week, I came across this post on Cooking Whims for Hummus Turkey Burgers with Cucumber-Feta Cheese. Sounds fantastic, right? Well, the recipe (and photos) had me craving these gems all damn day at work, so by the time I got home, I, naturally, had to make them - with a few modifications, due to what was already in my kitchen.

I had to buy the ground turkey meat (I bought organic, which only cost $1 more than the "other" packages) and the whole wheat rolls, but otherwise, I just used what was already in my kitchen. Here's my modified recipe.

Hummus Turkey Burgers 
Yields: 4 burgers

-1 package organic ground turkey
-1/2 cup hummus, plus extra for spreading (I used a combo of Trader Joe's original and roasted red pepper)
-Dried parsley
-Cumin
-Salt and black pepper to taste
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-4 slices cheddar cheese
-8 tomato slices
-Toasted whole wheat burger buns

Directions:
1.) Mix the turkey, hummus, parsley and cumin in a bowl. Season with your desired amount of salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 4 patties.

2.) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the patties and cook until browned and cooked through. This can take anywhere from 5-7 minutes on each side. They’re done when there is no pink in the center of the burger. (Organic turkey meat is also a lot more delicate than "regular" turkey, so just be extra careful when flipping). Add a slice of cheese to each burger once there's 1-1 1/2 minutes left of cooking time, so cheese melts accordingly.

3.) Spread some hummus on each half of the burger buns. Set the burger on top and garnish with the tomato slices (2 slices per burger).

I served my turkey burgers with some baked sweet potato fries, seasoned with salt, pepper and a little chili powder.

Now, I love a good turkey burger, but the addition of the hummus made them incredibly moist. The roasted red pepper flavor also added a nice "kick" to the burger's flavor. Even using organic meat made a huge - in a positive way - difference in the texture and taste. I will definitely be making these again! Plus, burgers are easy to freeze, so if you only eat two, you can easily freeze four for a future lunch or dinner.

Do you normally buy organic meat? Why or why not?

Best Deal This Week: Burgers for a Buck at The Met

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/metrestaurant

If you're a long time reader of The Econ Eater, I've probably made it clear how much I love a good burger. Beef, turkey, veggie, lamb - it doesn't matter. To me, there's nothing like a flavorful, juicy, well-made burger.

The Met Bar and Grill in Natick and Dedham (with a sister restaurant, The Metropolitan Club, in Chestnut Hill) knows their burgers - and has become rather famous for them in the area. Their "Burger Bar" includes continental creations such as Boston - The Fenway, made with bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg on a sesame bun, along with the Manhattan - The Works, made with Swiss cheese, bacon, sauteed onions and mushrooms on a sesame seed bun. The Met's international creations include the Paris Burger, made with Brie, fried egg, caramelized onions and truffle mayo on a sesame seed bun - plus a slew of others, like the Tokyo and Mexico City burgers. Even if none of the Met's specialty burgers tickle your fancy, they also have a Make Your Own option.

Now, on to the best part: Every Monday night in Chestnut Hill, The Met Club holds Burger Night from 6 to 10 p.m., where burgers are $4.99 in the Bar & Lounge. Also, the Natick and Dedham locations hold happy hour, where burgers are $1 from 4 to 6 p.m., as well as $2 daily featured burgers. Gourmet, innovative burgers for a buck. Who said you need fast food to eat affordably?

Random note: I know I don't usually blog about music, but I wanted to recommend this album to anyone looking for some new music to listen to. Sal Nastasi, one of the founding members of the band Ready in 10 (out of Long Island), played at one of my best friend's weddings in June. He sent me his CD to listen to, and it really was a great listen. Mainly slow rock, and perfect relaxing, rainy day music. Definitely worth a listen!

Red Wine Burgers with Gorgonzola Cheese

If you've been following this blog for a while, you may or may not have realized that I love burgers. They're versatile, inexpensive, and delicious (when made correctly), and I love experimenting with different kinds of meats, spices and condiments to make unique, satisfying burgers. So, the other night when I was faced with the horrible dilemma of having red wine, Angus Beef and crumbled gorgonzola cheese in the house, I decided to make one juicy, decadent burger.

Red Wine Burgers with Gorgonzola Cheese
Yields: 4 servings

-1 package Angus Beef (or any ground beef you prefer)
-1/8 cup Pinot Noir (I used Yellow Tail brand)
-1 tbsp. minced garlic
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-1 cup cooked onions (I sauteed in olive oil until translucent)
-Chili powder
-Parsley flakes
-Salt and pepper
-Crumbled gorgonzola cheese
-4 bulkie rolls, toasted

Directions: In a large bowl, gently mix beef, wine, garlic, chili powder, parsley, salt and pepper together. Cover with saran wrap, and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or more). Take out of refrigerator, and form into four hamburger patties. Heat up olive oil in frying pan, and place patties in the pan. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked to your liking in the middle (I like mine medium/medium rare). Take off heat, and place each patty on a toasted bulkie roll. Top with onions and gorgonzola.

On the side, I served oven baked sweet potato fries. I baked them with nothing but olive oil, salt and pepper. (I use two sweet potatoes for four people).

The end result was an insanely juicy, rich burger. The red wine and gorgonzola complemented each other perfectly, and the soft onions added a necessary, additional flavor to the dish. Next time, however, I'll skip the bulkie rolls and go for ciabatta bread or something similar - the bulkie rolls were fine this time, but it was a little too much bread for a burger, in my opinion.

Kind-of-Mediterranean turkey burgers

Goat cheese, kalamata olives, parsley, and rosemary - all wrapped up in one elegant, healthy turkey burger.

I rarely eat red meat or beef when I am at home, so when I'm cooking burgers or meatloaf, I usually use scrambled turkey. Compared to scrambled turkey breast or beef, which cost around $4-5 a package at my local Hannaford, turkey is just above $3. And for this particular meal, I already had the rest of the ingredients in my fridge, minus the crumbled goat cheese.

I was pleasantly surprised at how these burgers came out, although I decreased the amount of goat cheese in this recipe - I added a little too much in the original recipe. The result, however, was an extremely flavorful, comforting turkey burger. It ended up being an affordable meal that I can make any night of the week - but still feel like I'm having a special, out-of-the-ordinary dinner.

Kind-of-Mediterreanean Turkey Burgers
Yields: 2 burgers

-1/2 package of scrambled turkey (freeze the second half for future recipes/meals)
-4-5 jarred and pitted kalamata olives, chopped
-1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (and a little extra for top of burgers)
-Dried parsley
-Dried rosemary
-Black pepper and a little salt

Directions: Just mix all of the above together in a bowl, and form into two good-sized burger patties (make sure to go light on the salt, as the olives are already pretty salty). Cook in frying pan with a little oil, and serve on toasted whole wheat bulkie rolls with extra goat cheese and sliced tomato.

On the side, I made my favorite oven-baked potato fries - which, to me, are sooo much better (and healthier!) than throwing some sliced potatoes in my deep fryer with a ridiculous amount of oil. All I do for these oven-baked gems is slice the potatoes lengthwise, mix with a tbsp. of olive oil, some rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper, and lay them flat on a baking sheet. I throw them in the oven at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes (or until crispy), turning them once.

And wala! You have yummy, good-for-you fries.

Turning frozen burgers into warm quesadillas

I am a sucker for freezing leftovers. I’m just not one of those people who can eat the same dinner five nights in a row – I need variety in my life. So, when I ended up with four spicy beef burgers a few weeks ago, I ended up eating two of them over the course of the week, and froze the remaining two. The other night, I broke out the frozen burgers and turned them into one of my favorite quick, go-to meals: quesadillas.

Even though it had been a good two weeks since I had the burgers, I just wasn’t in the mood for eating a hamburger patty on a roll. So, I cut up the burgers into strips, placed them inside a whole wheat quesadilla, threw in some defrosted frozen corn, and “glued” everything together with freshly shredded habanero cheese for some extra kick.

On the side, I had the rest of my Newman's Own Peach Salsa that was in the fridge.

And walla! I was eating dinner within 10 minutes, and didn’t have to make an extra trip to the grocery store. Thankfully, I also didn’t have to eat another damn hamburger.

Do you freeze your leftovers? Why or why not?

Guest post: how to survive being married and hungry

Hey guys! I have a special treat for you today: A guest post from my newly married cousin, Catherine. Catherine has been my fellow foodie in life since we were babies, and she has recently become accustomed to the lifestyle of an economical eater, after paying for a wedding and saving for a future. I’m confident you will find her tips useful for saving some dough, especially if you can relate to being a hungry newlywed.

Take it from me: being newly married, trying to get back on our feet from the wedding, the holidays and paying bills, my husband and I have had to adjust to a lifestyle of bargain shopping and cheap eats! We are a couple who loves to eat, but doesn’t like to spend a lot of money. We are home-bodies, who like the taste of home cooked meals, so we usually try to find good deals right at the grocery store. In order to avoid wasting food, we also try to incorporate ingredients that we already have in the fridge, without completely compromising the quality of the meal. Even making a simple pizza at home saves us a few dollars every week, which adds up over time.

For those of you who are newly married, or could simply use some less expensive meal ideas during the week, here are some of our go-to meals when the wallet is thin:

Baked Pork Chop Dinner

1 package thinly sliced pork chops, $3.99

1 bag bread crumbs, $1.00 (1 package will give you at least three meals)

1 sweet potato, $0.89

1 can green beans, $0.80

1 egg—already had in the fridge

Sometimes a little garlic is added to the pork to add flavor

Dip the pork into a little bit of egg, then cover with bread crumbs. Cook in the oven for 20-25 min (baking keeps them a little more juicy), and then serve with veggie’s on the side.

Cheese Burger on Toast

1 package of ground beef – $2.69 (it’s cheaper to make your own patties)

Toast – bread had at home already, versus buying a $3-4 package of hamburger buns

Cheese - had at home already

Since it's winter, we cook the hamburg patties right on the skillet and then just serve between two pieces of toast with a little mustard and ketchup, have a pickle and a handful of chips on the side, and you have one easy and cheap hamburger.

Homemade Pizza

1 package wheat dough

1 package Market Basket pizza cheese

1 can pizza sauce

If you have any veggies or olives laying around the house, you can throw those on too

Use a little flour and work the dough until it forms a nice circle shape. Please on greased pizza pan or cookie sheet. Cover with sauce (usually the can lasts us two pizzas), then cheese and any additional toppings.

These are just some of the simple meals we like to make when we are in a hurry and on a budget! Any of these meals can be more creative - my husband has a simple palate, so we try to keep our meals pretty uncomplicated.

Spicy beef burgers with avocado sour cream

This burger has the potential to convert any vegetarian into a meat eater. The other day, In-N-Out Burger tweeted a photo of the most delicious-looking burger, and I continued to crave beef until dinner that evening. There's nothing like a thick, juicy burger sometimes, despite the little nutritional value it possesses. My craving completely surpassed my caring about the lack of health benefits anyway, so I hit up the supermarket after work to purchase some ground beef. In an effort to use up some ingredients I already had at home, I decided to make spicy burgers with jalapenos I had in the fridge, and spices I had in the cabinet. I also had a ripe avocado sitting on my counter, so I had to put that to use as well - avocados are expensive, and I'm not about to let one go to waste. The result: Spicy beef burgers with avocado sour cream. A must try.

Spicy Beef Burgers with Avocado Sour Cream

Yields: 4 burgers

Burgers:
-1 package of 90% lean ground beef ($2.53, Hannaford)
-6-7 jarred jalapenos, diced
-1 tbsp. minced garlic, jarred
-4-5 shakes of tabasco sauce
-Chili powder
-Cumin
-Dried cilantro
-Salt and pepper

Directions: Mix all ingredients together, being careful not to over "knead" the beef. Cook in frying pan with a tiny bit of olive oil, several minutes on each side, or until browned.

Avocado Sour Cream:

-1 ripe avocado, slightly mashed

-1 generous tsp. sour cream

-2-3 squirts of lime juice

-Dried cilantro

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, 30 minutes before serving time (this allows the flavors to mesh together). Spoon generous amount on top bun of each burger.

I served my burgers on toasted wheat bulkie rolls ($2.99 for 6, Hannaford bakery), with Muenster cheese and sliced tomatoes. On the side I had some Trader Joe's sea salt pita chips on the side. The patties were only mildly spicy, but full of Mexican-inspired flavors.

Whether you're a vegetarian or an omnivore, what's your favorite way to prepare a burger?

Buffalo: it's what's for dinner

I recently tried the buffalo burger ($9.50) at Bison County BBQ in Waltham, and was pleasantly surprised at how moist and flavorful the meat was. The menu boasts that buffalo has less cholesterol than chicken or turkey (my go-to meat for homemade burgers, usually), and my sister always makes her chili with buffalo meat because it tends to be cheaper than beef at the supermarket. Although I have yet to cook with buffalo in my own kitchen, I was more than happy to give the lesser-used chow a try at this establishment that is known for their meat. I was also happy to discover that the buffalo was a lot less greasy than beef would be, avoiding the dreaded grease waterfall that tends to pour out with every bite of a regular hamburger. The joint was casual and crowded on the Friday night that I visited, and their French fries were exceptionally crispy and full of real potato flavor. My friends ordered Bison County's Boneless Fire Wings ($7.95), that were supposed to be their spiciest, yet, unfortunately, lacked a lot of heat. I left satisfied, however, being able to wash down my burger with a few ice cold drafts of Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale, in the company of good friends.

Have you cooked with buffalo meat before? What are some successful ways you've prepared it, in addition to burgers and chili?