Recipes

Here is my time-tested favourite grilled venison burgers recipe. I’m confident that these will be the best venison burgers you have ever tasted.

I believe venison is one of the all-time best and most underrated meats out there, which is why I am trying to encourage more people to try it. It’s incredibly healthy and delicious.

You can find more of my venison recipes here.

Venison is a very lean meat with a low meat-to-fat ratio and as such, you’ll usually need to add in a little extra fat to help with the flavour and to ensure the meat binds together.

This will be the same for any other wild game burger.

There is no reason why you can’t swap the venison meat in this recipe for ground beef if you wanted and make some amazing beef burgers.

You could also use another ground meat, such as turkey etc.

How to cook venison burgers on the grill? What is the secret to grilling burgers?

The secret to grilling a burger is to make sure you have created two heating zones on your grill.

First off, make sure you are using some decent lump wood charcoal, and let it burn for approx 20 minutes so that it has a decent covering of ash over it.

Scrape all the charcoal over to one side of your grill. Place your grill grates on top and get to cooking temperature.

You now want to cook your burgers on the side with no coals underneath.

This indirect way of cooking allows the burgers to cook more slowly and evenly, without flare-ups burning the outside of your burgers.

If your grill has a lid, put it on and let the smoke build inside to add more flavour.

Assuming you have a good medium-high heat, turn the burgers after approx 4-5 minutes and give the other side another 3-4 minutes.

Don’t overcook your burgers.

Undercooking is always a worry, especially when serving to family and friends, but as long as you follow the indirect cooking method (and maybe sample one yourself), then your burger should be thoroughly cooked through.

For extra reassurance, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should be at least 160°F (70°C).

The above method should give you a perfect venison burger every time.

How long should you grill venison burgers?

For a standard-size venison burger, grilling on medium-high heat, using the indirect method, you should grill for approx 4-5 minutes on one side, then turn and grill for approx 3-4 minutes on the other side.

This very much depends on the size of your burgers, as well as the heat that you are cooking.

To check your burgers are fully cooked through, use a meat thermometer and ensure the internal temperature is at least 160°F (71°C), or 165°F (74°C) if they contain any pork.

This very much depends on the size of your burgers, as well as the heat that you are cooking.

What do you mix with venison to make a burger?

You can mix a variety of different ingredients into your venison burgers, depending on your taste and what you have available in the pantry.

For some standard ingredients through, go with egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, butter, salt and pepper.

What is a good binder for deer burgers?

Venison is very low in fat and you therefore usually want to add some fat back in to allow for a more juicy burger and to also allow it to bind together to form the burger shape and stop them from falling apart.

On top of adding bacon to the venison burger, you should also add in egg yolk, as this helps the burger mixture to bind properly.

Egg yolks help this to happen while adding extra flavour and nutrients to your burgers. Go for organic free-range eggs if you can.

Do venison burgers need a binder?

Yes, you should use a binder when making venison burgers.

One of the best binders is a free-range egg yolk.

Adding an egg yolk helps you to properly form the burgers into their shape and also helps to stop them from breaking up when cooking them.

Can venison burgers be pink in the middle?

Yes, venison burgers can be slightly pink in the middle, as long as the internal temperature has reached at least 160°F (71°C).

If you are unsure, use a meat thermometer to confirm this.

If you have used pork in the mixture, such as bacon, then the temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C).

What is the best fat to mix with deer burger?

The best fat to add to a deer burger is either beef fat or pork fat.

Beef dripping is good for this, or for the pork option, go with chopped bacon. Either of these will increase the flavour of your deer burgers.

How do I make my venison burger not taste gamey?

Use well-prepared venison and as fresh as possible.

Generally speaking, if you use good quality venison, for your ground deer meat, then once combined with the other burger ingredients, you will not notice any gamey taste.

Not everyone likes the taste of venison, but when put through the meat grinder and mixed with the other ingredients, most would think it is beef they are eating.

Grilled Venison Burgers Recipe Card

Grilled Venison Burgers Recipe

My time-tested venison burger recipe – that that just works every time.

Use good quality ground venison for this and you won't go far wrong.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, bbq, European

Servings 6

Equipment

• 1 Chopping board
• 1 large bowl, for mixing
• 1 cast iron pan / skillet, or baking tray

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds ground venison meat
• 1/2 pound smoked bacon, finely chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 large burger buns
• Toppings: sliced cheese (either american cheese, or cheddar) garlic mayo, normal mayo, lettuce, mustard, onion, pickles.

Instructions

 

• Using your hands combine the ground venison, egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, butter, salt and black pepper, in a large bowl.
• Once mixed, using your hands, form 6 even balls with the mixture. Then shape each ball into a burger pattie.
• Place onto a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper (greaseproof paper).
• Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and put in the fridge for approx 20 minutes to help firm up the burger patties.
• If cooking on the grill, preheat to a medium-high 450-500°F (232-260°C). If frying, preheat your cast-iron pan/skillet to a medium heat before cooking.
• Using your thumb, make an indentation in the middle of one side of each patty. This indented side will become the top and the reason for doing this is that it will help stop the burgers from puffing up while the cook.
• If grilling: brush some olive oil on the indented side of each burger and place on the preheated grill, indention side down. Cook for around 4-5 minutes. Flip the patties over and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (71°C).
• If frying: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter to the preheated pan. Add 2-3 burgers (thumb indention side down), and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (71°C). Cook the remaining burgers in the same way.
• Place the cooked burgers onto a clean chopping board and place a slice of cheese onto each one while they are still hot.
• Assemble your burgers: Slice each burger bun crossways (if not already done). Butter the top and bottom of each. Spread mayonnaise and/or mustard inside each. Add lettuce, sliced onion, sliced tomato and pickles.
• Serve with french fries. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips:

• If cooking on a skillet, make the burger patties a bit flatter (thinner) so that they cook more evenly.

Storage:

• Refrigerator – Uncooked burger patties can be prepared in advance and then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also use cling film (plastic wrap), but I try not to use this stuff, as it’s not great for the environment.
• Freezing – Wrap each burger patty in parchment paper and place them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Keyword venison burger recipe

Venison burger toppings

Some great venison burger toppings include:

• Cheese slices – either American cheese or cheddar
• Lettuce
• Sliced onion
• Sliced tomato
• Pickles
• Crispy bacon

The best cheese for venison burgers

This is a matter of opinion, but in general, slices of American cheese or cheddar work best with venison burgers.

Want more goodness? Check out my famous venison chili here.