We'd have liked to provide some burger-making tips to coincide with the start of grilling season, but as everyone knows, this year that ship sailed with La Nina. And even when we do get a normal transition from winter into spring, many of you have been firing up the grill all year round.

Nonetheless, we've been flipping up a storm at the backyard grill, making burgers from a variety of meats (and in one case, a vegetable).

Our first suggestion: Use high-quality, relatively low-fat beef, but add some fat, working from the inside out. Putting a pat of herb butter inside the uncooked patty makes the interior moist while adding flavor.

Our second suggestion: Skip the beef and go with bison for a full, meaty flavor. Bison has about a third less fat than 90 percent lean beef, however, it, too can benefit greatly from some added ingredients.

We recommend adding one egg for every pound of ground bison — and flavoring it with just a touch of shallot and Worcestershire.

Other flavorings would work equally well, so experiment with your favorites.

Our third suggestion involves moving beyond red meat. Turkey burgers are generally lower in fat than beef burgers, but be careful: Not all ground turkey is created equal.

Look for a label that specifies lean ground turkey breast, with no dark meat or skin added.

And finally, for our fourth and fifth suggestions, consider dropping the meat altogether. Make a burger out of fish — a tuna burger, for example — or take advantage of the fact that a portobello mushroom cap cooked on the grill looks a lot like burger patty.

<b>1 egg2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 tablespoon minced shallotSaltFreshly ground black pepper1 pound ground bison4 hamburger buns </b>Preheat a grill for direct heat.Combine egg and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl; beat with a fork until well combined. Stir in shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Add bison; with your hands, mix gently but well. Form into four patties. Season again with salt and pepper.Brush oil on the grill grate. Cook burgers over direct heat 4 to 6 minutes per side. If desired, rotate the burgers 90 degrees halfway through cooking each side for an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. Cook until an instant-read meat thermometer reads 125 degrees for rare, 135 degrees for medium-rare or 145 degrees for medium. Cooking beyond medium is not recommended as bison can dry out easily.Place each patty on a bun, garnish as desired and serve.

<b>4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs (any combination of parsley, chives, basil, oregano and tarragon)½ clove garlic, mincedFreshly ground black pepper¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, at room temperature1½ pounds ground sirloin, round or chuckCoarse salt4 slices pancetta, optional4 slices white Cheddar cheese, optional4 hamburger buns2 tablespoons melted butter </b>Place herbs, garlic, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and softened butter in a small mixing bowl; stir or beat to combine thoroughly. Place on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, roll into a cylinder and twist the ends to compact the mixture. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.Cut the herbed butter into four slices. Wet your hands with cold water and divide the ground beef into four portions. Pat each portion of beef into a thick patty. Press an indentation into the center of the patty, filling it with a slice of herbed butter. Mold the beef to enclose the butter completely. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper to taste.Set up a grill for direct heat and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush oil on the grill grate. Grill the pancetta, if using, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.Place the burgers on the hot grate and season again with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium. If desired, rotate the burgers 90 degrees halfway through cooking each side for an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. If using cheese and/or pancetta, place a slice of each on each burger after you've flipped it, pancetta first. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer through the side of the burger into the center, letting the temperature reach 160 degrees for medium.Brush the buns with the melted butter and toast on the grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Assemble the burgers, adding toppings (lettuce, raw or grilled onion, tomato) and condiments as desired.<i><b>Adapted from “How to Grill,” by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2001)</b></i>

<b>1 slice whole-wheat bread, crusts removed2 tablespoons milk1¼ pounds ground turkey breast2 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauceGround black pepper2 ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped¼ cup minced fresh basilSalt3 tablespoons shredded low-fat mozzarella3 whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted </b>Tear bread into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Pour milk over bread, stir to coat well and allow to stand 10 minutes, stirring and mashing bread frequently until the mixture is almost smooth. Add ground turkey, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into six patties.Mix together tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes for flavors to blend.Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high or allow coals to burn down. Lightly oil grill grate or spray with nonstick spray.Grill patties about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until lightly browned and internal temperatures registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Sprinkle each with 1½ teaspoons shredded mozzarella cheese and allow to melt.Place one patty, cheese side up, on each English muffin half. Spoon tomato mixture generously over the top of each patty