6 Favorite Wild Game Burgers
Posted 2022-02-18T06:00:00Z by
If you have some ground venison, be it deer, elk, or moose, give these burgers a try
Everyone loves a good burger, even more when it is made with wild game. Be it venison from deer, elk, caribou, or moose, or even some other wild game, these six recipes will make your dinner guests happy.
Since wild game is lean, many hunters and cooks like to mix a bit of fat with their venison when grinding. You can use beef or pork fat if you wish, or even raw bacon, a favorite around my house. I usually shoot for an 80-20 blend of venison to fat, although I'll go as high as 50-50 venison to bacon in certain recipes. Choose the type and amount of added fat according to your taste. You can even make great burgers out of straight ground venison; just don't overcook and dry them out.
Try these recipes the next time you get a craving for a great burger.
We usually go 80-20 or so venison-to-bacon when grinding the two together, but for these sliders we kick up the bacon ratio to about half. Seared till crisp on a Blackstone or other griddle (or in a cast-iron skillet) and topped with grilled onions, Colby jack cheese, and a pickle slice, these little sliders will quickly become one of your favorite appetizers or snacks, or dinner if you eat enough of them. Find the recipe here.
A good venison burger doesn't need much to become an exceptional meal. That said, a few toppings can put a really good burger over the top in flavor. This combination comes from our buddies David and Christina. This husband-and-wife hunting and wild game cooking team can usually be found chasing local whitetails here in Kentucky or elk out West, often with their young son in tow.
They love to give their burgers a true Southern twist with a dollop of pimento cheese and a few slices of fried green tomato. After trying them, I tend to agree. You can make your own pimento cheese with this classic recipe, or you can use your favorite commercial blend. Either way, the results will be great. Find the recipe here.
A Cuban sandwich isn't actually Cuban. The roast pork, ham, and cheese combination was most likely concocted in Miami to cater to Cuban workers living there, but there is no doubt that it is tasty. What could make it even better? Taking those same ingredients and adding them to an elk or venison burger. Find the recipe here.
Mention red wine and mushrooms when you are talking recipes, and options like beef bourguignon or a steak topped with a burgundy mushroom sauce come to mind. The same flavor combinations that make those recipes delicious also work in something as simple as a burger. Find the recipe here.
We call this the All-American Double-Bacon, because the only thing more American than a good burger is bacon. The double-bacon part comes from not only a bacon topping but bacon ground with the venison to form a patty with enough fat to hold together on the grill and still be nice and juicy when served. Find the recipe here.
We love a good elk burger. And we love pizza grilled on our Traeger. So why not combine the two? This burger gets stuffed with pepperoni and a slice of fresh mozzarella, then topped with pizza sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and even more cheese. Find the recipe here.
