Buffalo meat, also called bison meat, can be used to make burgers that are lower in fat and calories than beef. The exact number of calories will depend on what type of bun you use and what toppings you choose. Due to the leanness of the meat, you may want to mix the buffalo meat with other ingredients to add more moisture and avoid cooking your burger too long. Otherwise, it may turn out too dry. Vegetables that release water when cooked, such as mushrooms, onions and bell peppers, can add both moisture and flavor without greatly increasing the calories in your burger.
The Calorie Range
A 3-ounce serving of ground buffalo meat has 124 calories, which is lower than the 183 calories in the same amount of 85-percent-lean ground beef. A hamburger bun adds another 117 calories, so a plain buffalo burger would have about 241 calories. Most people prefer to add some extra toppings, and thus more calories, to their burgers. The American Council on Exercise suggests a quarter-pound of ground buffalo mixed with wild rice, smoked cheese, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, horseradish and pickle relish and served on a whole-wheat hamburger bun with onion and tomato. This burger has about 434 calories. You can make a simpler quarter-pound buffalo burger topped with pickled onions and a homemade smoky red pepper sauce served on an English muffin for about 356 calories.