Yak burgers are delicious because they are so lean yet so juicy! I’d never heard of yak meat until our cousin Daphne introduced it to us a few years ago. She orders them in bulk since they are not commonly sold in stores. Apparently yak meat is 95-97% lean, low in cholesterol and is packed with protein so it’s gaining popularity amongst the health conscious. The consensus on cooking method appears to be (1) do not overpower the delicate taste by over-spicing it, and (2) do not overcook it. This here is not much of a recipe since it’s so simple, but it tastes great! I think with Yak burgers, it’s best to keep it simple and enjoy the taste of the meat.
Yak Burger
Servings 3 burgers
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 pound ground yak
- truffle salt or Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 3 brioche buns
- 3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tomato sliced
- 3 leaves red leaf lettuce
Instructions
Crisp the bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and place a wire rack over it. Line the bacon on the wire rack. Avoid the bacon slices from touching other slices.
- Bake in the oven until the bacon sizzles and crisps, about 15 minutes.
Prepare the patties
- Form the ground yak into patties. Throw from palm to palm about 10 times to let the air out.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the patties.
- Sprinkle garlic powder and onion powder on one side of the patties.
Grill
- Heat the griddle at medium-high and lightly grease with vegetable oil.
- Place the patties on the grill and cook until grill marks are formed.
- Slice the brioche buns in half and place them on the grill until grill marks are formed.
- Place the onion slices on the grill and cook until grill marks are formed.
- Turn the patties over and grill until the meat is cooked, but be careful not to overcook them.
- Turn the buns over and grill until grill marks are formed on both sides.
Serve
- Serve deconstructed or assembled. To assemble, place the bacon, cheese, patty, tomato, lettuce and onions between the buns. Pierce vertically through the middle with a thin bamboo stick to keep the burger together.