When I last wrote about TIME Winery, Harry McWatters was celebrating his 50th vintage in the BC wine industry (Harry McWatters and the Beginning of TIME). He had recently sold his acclaimed Sundial Vineyards, to what is now Phantom Creek Vineyards, and he was in the midst of building an urban winery for TIME in an old movie theater in downtown Penticton.
Time Winery & Kitchen opened in the spring of 2018, but sadly, Harry McWatters passed away just over a year later, in July 2019. Harry’s passing was a huge loss for his family and friends, as well as the BC wine industry. After 50 vintages, Harry is often referred to as the grandfather of the modern BC wine industry. I only had the pleasure of meeting Harry McWatters once and I found him to be a very knowledgeable and charismatic speaker, as well as a wonderful storyteller.
Since Harry’s passing his daughters, Christa-Lee and Darrien McWatters, have worked to uphold his legacy, uniting sister wineries TIME, Evolve Cellars and the McWatters Collection under one roof.
In July of this year BC wine lovers learned that TIME Winery & Kitchen had been sold to Five Vines Cellars. Five Vines Cellars is a private, family company owned by British Columbians, Ron and Shelley Meyert. Despite the sale, Christa-Lee and Darrien will carry-on as General Manager and Production Manager respectively. The Mayerts are committed to keeping TIME family owned and operated with a focus on handcrafted, small batch wines.
TIME Winery & Kitchen is a fully functioning winery with tasting bar and restaurant. Chef AK Campbell is said to be the creative force behind the culinary team at TIME and over the weekend I had the opportunity to test-out one of his burger recipes, pairing it with the 2016 TIME Syrah.
2016 Syrah $34.99
After two hours in the decanter there are aromas of black pepper, blackberry, dried cherries, black plum, vanilla and licorice pastels. This is a full-bodied Syrah with medium acidity and tannins. On the palate, the sweetness of vanilla and baking spice mingle with blackcurrants and prunes, while black pepper notes create a long, savoury finish.
This big, oaky Syrah was a great match for Chef AK Campbell’s BC Blue Tatanka Burger, which is made with BC blueberries. Being that it is a bison burger, I was concerned that it would be dry, but it was juicy, tender and so flavourful! I like that all the components can be made ahead of time, making it easy to cook and assemble for guests. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, this burger can be enjoyed just as much without the cheese as with. I was able to serve these burgers to two groups of friends over the weekend and they were a hit! One friend, who puts hot sauce on literally EVERYTHING, said the burger was so tasty, that he didn’t want to ruin it with hot sauce. Try this recipe out – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
The BC Blue Tatanka Burger
By Chef AK Campbell
1/2 lb BC blueberry bison patty, blue cheese, arugula, BC blueberry onion marmalade, green peppercorn-brandy sauce, and Petrasek Bakery charred onion bun.
Recipe – Makes 4 large burgers:
INGREDIENTS
BC Blueberry Bison Patties:
(Year In Wine – As I do not have a meat grinder, I simply substituted ground bison and lean ground beef for the meats. Gently crumble the ground meats and toss them together, do not mash them, or the burgers could become tough.)
- 1 1/2 LB Bison Chuck
- 1/2 LB Beef Brisket*
- 1/2 cup BC Blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 2 tsp Dry Mustard
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
BC Blueberry Onion Marmalade:
- 1 large Red Onion, small diced
- 1/2 cup BC Blueberries, dried
- 1/4 cup Red Wine
- 1 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
- 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- TT Kosher Salt
Green Peppercorn Brandy Sauce:
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Brandy
- 1 large Shallot, minced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
- 1 Tbsp Brined Green Peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- TT Kosher Salt
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Baby Arugula
Burger Buns
METHOD
BC Blueberry Bison Patties:
- Blend blueberries and seasoning together to make a paste
- Dice the bison and beef into 1” cubes. Toss the cubes of meat with the seasoned blueberry puree. Transfer to a sheet pan and arrange meat so that the individual pieces are not touching. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, or until the cubes of meat just start to freeze around the outside.
- Meanwhile; place all the metal pieces of a meat grinder in the freezer**
- Once the meat is slightly frozen and the meat grinder pieces are ice-cold, assemble your meat grinder and grind the seasoned bison and beef through a coarse dial.
- Gently mix the meat as it comes out of the grinder to evenly distribute any larger pockets of fat.
- Once all the meat is ground, portion into 4 equal sized patties. Separate with parchment, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
*At TIME Winery & Kitchen we use beef brisket to add additional fat to the mix. Bison is very lean, and extra fat is going to produce a juicier and more flavourful burger patty.
**Freezing both the meat and the pieces of the meat grinder will produce a much nicer grind. This will prevent the fat from partially rendering from the heat produced by the friction in the meat grinder. It will also inhibit bacterial growth.
BC Blueberry Onion Marmalade:
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat grape seed oil over medium heat. Add diced red onion to the pan and stir until translucent but not caramelized.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine and add remaining ingredients. Simmer until dried blueberries are plump and the sauce takes on a syrupy consistency.
- (optional) Blend the blueberry onion marmalade in a food processor to make a smooth and more spreadable sauce
- Remove from heat and refrigerate
Green Peppercorn Brandy Sauce:
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat grape seed oil over medium heat. Add minced shallot, garlic, and green peppercorn to the pan and stir until the shallots and garlic start to caramelize.
- CAREFULLY deglaze with brandy. Ignite the brandy to burn off the alcohol. Once the flame dies down (continue to use caution as brandy can burn with an invisible flame) add remaining ingredients, except salt, and reduce by half.
- Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat
- Sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated.
The Finished Burgers:
- Preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add patties to the pan and sear for 4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness. Once well seared on the first side, and the meat on the edge of the patties has started to cook up to the top of the patty, flip and continue to cook.
- Since the burgers have been freshly ground from whole cuts, and run through a chilled grinder, you can cook these patties a little more on the medium side, if you wish; otherwise cook the patties to an internal temperature of 165F.
- Just before the desired temperature is reached, remove the patties from the pan and place on a board or tray. Top with crumbled blue cheese and allow the patties to rest. The resting time will allow for the juices to settle throughout the patty, and the residual heat will continue to cook the burger another 5-10F and melt the cheese.
- While the burgers are resting, wipe out the cast iron pan and use it to toast your favourite burger bun. (Here at TIME Winery & Kitchen, for this burger we use a custom-made charred onion bun from Petrasek Bakery, an artisanal bakery located in downtown Penticton, Just a block away from us.)
- Once the bun bottoms are toasted, spread on some of the BC blueberry onion marmalade. Place the rested bison patty topped with blue cheese onto the BC blueberry onion marmalade. Spoon green peppercorn brandy sauce over the patty, and top with a generous portion of peppery baby arugula. Spread some additional BC blueberry onion marmalade onto the bun top and close the burger.
- Roll up your sleeves and dig in. This, like all of our burgers, is big and messy!
TIME Winery & Kitchen is open for tastings and dining with a reservation.