# Deer Burger



## ac700wildcat

My brother and I are making our deer sausage next weekend and i plan on making two 25lb batches instead of 100lbs like i usually do. I used to be able to give a little away and end up with none left when it was time to put new stuff in the freezer, but this last year I gave almost half of it away and am possibly going to end up throwing a bit away as some is freezer burning. I have the meat from three deer in my freezer and figured I might make some deer burger with some of it. I was just wondering what everyone mixes with the deer. Do you just buy chuck roast and go half and half or something?


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## MossyMO

We grind bacon into nothing but venison. Grind it together with a coarse blade, then hand mix a little and run back through with course blade again. We mix 1/3 bacon to 2/3 venison. A friend of ours mixes it 50/50, that is what he likes but it is too strong of bacon taste for us.

Sunmart grocery store here in West Fargo sometimes has 10 pound cases of bacon rough cuts, regular priced for $13 per case and sometimes on sale for $10 per case. If you are interested in trying this, maybe check with Leevers SuperValue there in Devils Lake and see if they ever get anything like that in. Much cheaper than purchasing 10 separate packages of bacon for $35 to $40 just to grind it up.

As far as freezer burn goes, we put our ground bulk into ground meat bags that you can purchase from a meat processor. We have never had freezer burn problems using these.


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## weasle414

Seasoned salt an pepper ! That's all we need! Mmmm.... deer burgers...why isn't there a smiley face that drools? Like Homer Simpson! We've got Bart, Burns and Homer doing something wierd with his eyes... why can't we have a drooling Homer?


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## ac700wildcat

Well I have to make it so the gf will eat it too. Shes not much into pork or deer for that. I just figured beef was the logical mixer for burger. I might be able to slip it by her with half and half beef and deer.

Anyone else?


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## Burly1

50% venison, 25% pork shoulder, 25% lean beef. If this mix is done right, there is just enough fat from the pork to be able to fry a burger without burning. I've served this to venison lovers and haters alike, and have had numerous compliments from both. Burger is much like venison steaks, in that it can be easily overcooked, losing much of the flavor and making the meat dry and unpleasant to eat. Go for medium to medium rare, and don't worry about the FDA hype about cooking burgers well done. Good eating, Burl


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## KEN W

I mix it 50-50 with 80% gr. beef.I don't want it to taste like pork.I want it to taste likw a hamburger.But even with that ratio you will still taste venison.The only way around it is to smoke it.....but then it won't be hamburger.We mostly use it to make spagetti,tacos,chilli,BBQs,etc.

I also use game meat bags from a butcher....I bought a sealing machine to tape them shut.....no freezer burn.

I would make one 25 lb batch and try it.Then make more with fresh beef when you run out.

I agree with Mossymo.....run it through the grinder twice to get the best mix.


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## MossyMO

KEN W
We use the same tape machine for sealing ground meat bags. They work so slick, I am surprised Ron Popeil doesn't have an infomercial on them !!!

There are quite a few good venison burger recipes posted here, I may try incorporate others ideas into ours. The original reason we mixed with bacon was thinking the bacon for a bacon cheeseburger would already be there. But we do also use it for taco, spaghetti, etc. Tonight we are having meatloaf made with the venison burger.


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## KEN W

Mossy.....

I would think the smoke flavor of the bacon would help cover up the venison taste.I'll have to try that.


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## Danimal

Last year I made 10 pounds of venison sausage. When I was done stuffing it, I had about 1/3 pound of the mix left and planned on using it later for breakfast one day. Well, a couple months ago, I thawed it out and made a burger patty out of it. It was the best burger I have ever had,...period! I plan on making more of that mix, just for burgers this year.

I mixed 80% venison with 20% beef fat and for the seasoning... the italian sausage kit from eastman outdoors that I bought at Wally mart.

I personally like the taste of venison, but then again I shoot smaller deer for the freezer (1.5-2.5 yr olds). But if a larger one offers a shot, I WILL take it!!! Then I might have to adjust the recipe.

My hunting partner took a nice 7 pointer this last season (about 200 lbs dressed) and I think we are going to mix about 65% venison, 15% pork shoulder and 20% beef for his burger mix.

:beer:


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## Burly1

Ken, your post seems to indicate that you want to cover up the taste of the venison. I look at it the other way. I think that the pork fat and the beef enhance the flavor of my favorite meat. I love venison steak above all other kinds, and the flavor of that pristine protein is why. If it was possible to cook venison burger in a pan without either burning it, or turning it into a dry, tasteless mess, I would do so more often. It just makes more sense to me to mix it with something else with great flavor to make the best burger possible. I once shot a rutting muley buck whose meat was so strong that all I could use him for was smoked sausage and jerky. But that's the only time I had a deer that I didn't relish the taste of the loin steaks. To each his own, though, and finding what works best for you and yours is part of the adventure! Good eating, Burl


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## AnnieOakley

Some of you say you want to hide the taste of the venison, and some say you like it. The taste of the venison depends upon what the deer's diet consisted of also. I prefer cornfed deer- it is mild in flavor, much like a good cut of beef. Sage fed deer is more gamey tasting, which I do not care for much. The corn fed venison I get can be substituted for beef in cooking, and no one can usually tell the difference. I love beef mind you, but a corn fed venison steak is the best!
For my burger, I mix one part bacon to 2 parts venison, ground twice for consistency.
I would love to get a good deer sausage recipe tho-


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## specialpatrolgroup

I use bacon in the burger as well, but only 20% bacon to deer. But I would suggest instead of grinding everything twice on corse, just grind it once with a medium dye then mixing them by hand. Anytime I grind somehting more than once it seems like the texture is either too grainy.


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## deerslayer80

I made some this year and used 1/3 smoked bacon bits and pieces - 2/3 venison. They make for very good bacon cheese burgers.

If you're looking for a more beefy taste mix it 50/50 w/80% lean hamburger.


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