Venison Burgers Recipe

Afield | Welcome Books, 2012

Adding ground bacon and egg yolks keeps these burgers moist and adds lots of richness and flavor. Condiments for burgers are very relative to who’s eating them, but a good, earthy cheese and mustard are prime additions for venison. Here, we recommend Emmentaler and coarse-ground mustard, along with some spicy arugula for texture. More bacon on top is not a bad idea.–Jesse Griffiths

LC More Bacon Note

Did you just read what we read? “More bacon on top is not a bad idea,” says the author of this burger recipe. Truer, more universal words were perhaps never spoken.

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Serves 4 to 6

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Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground venison
6 ounces bacon or pancetta, ground
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large egg yolks
Dash Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 to 6 slices Emmentaler cheese
4 to 6 good-quality burger buns, toasted or grilled
Coarsely ground mustard
Mayonnaise
Sliced dill pickles
A handful arugula

Directions

1. Build a really hot fire in a grill or preheat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
2. In a bowl, combine the venison, bacon, salt, pepper, egg yolks, and Worcestershire sauce with your hands. Divvy the mixture into 4 to 6 balls. Gently form each into a 1 1/2-inch-thick patty.
3. Carefully brush the grill rack or skillet with a little oil. Grill or sear the patties until very well browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and place a slice of cheese on top of each patty. Cook for about 3 minutes more for medium-rare to medium, or longer according to your desired doneness. Serve the burgers on the buns with mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, and arugula.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Portobello Buffalo Burgers from Love & Olive Oil
Bison Bacon Burgers from Family Fresh Cooking
Barbecue Pork Burgers from Leite's Culinaria
Lamb Burger | Bifteki Arniou from Leite's Culinaria