Easy Weeknight Venison Burgers

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Justin Townsend

Editor-in-Chief at Harvesting Nature

Justin (Choctaw) is an avid hunter, angler, and chef whose passion for the outdoors lead him to create Harvesting Nature in 2011. He continues to hunt, fish, and cook all while sharing his experiences with others through film, podcasts, print, and with recipes. He also proudly serves in the United States Coast Guard.

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Latest posts by Justin Townsend (see all)

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Venison burgers are the classic go-to choice for ground meat meals in my house. I always set aside the prime cuts on the deer, and then everything else gets ground up later. I try to get as much ground meat as possible from the cuts I find at the bottom of the freezer every year (they always seem the same year to year), rather than just blowing through the classic grinding cuts like necks, shanks, and shoulders – all of which I prefer to cook in their original form.

These venison burgers are tasty, quick, easy, and reliable, making them the perfect summer weeknight food – something the whole family will love!

The minced mushrooms in the burgers help to keep things moist, while adding some extra flavor and texture to the ground meat. You could add any minced mushroom (shiitake, chanterelle, oyster, etc.) or skip adding it altogether.

Serves: 4
Time to Make: 45 minutes
Also Make With: Any ground meat (bear and wild pig must be cooked thoroughly)

Looking to change up your burger routine? Try these Aussie Kangaroo Burgers with the Lot (with or without the kangaroo meat) recipe by Adam Berkelmans!

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Easy Weeknight Venison Burgers

Recipe by Justin Townsend

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Wild RecipesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 -1.5 lbs ground venison

• 1/4 red onion, minced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup rehydrated woodear mushrooms, minced (optional)

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½  teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Don’t forget to add some fun condiments!

• Stone Ground Mustard

• Sliced Red Onion or Pickled Red Onion

• Garlic Aioli

• Fresh Mustard Greens, Arugula, Watercress, Lettuce

• Sliced Fresh Garden Tomatoes

• Chili

• Fried Egg

• Plum Jam or Preserves

• Bread and Butter Pickles (homemade are the best)

Preparation

• Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl
• Form the meat into balls slightly larger than golf balls.
• Smash the meatballs flat into patties with a press or your hand, and lightly coat them with the olive oil.
• Place them in the refrigerator to chill while you fire up the grill.
• Clean and fire up the grill – preferably charcoal – these patties deserve that smoky charcoal grill flavor!
• Once the grill is hot, place the patties on the grate.
• Cook 2-3 minutes each side. If you are adding cheese, which I highly recommend, use white cheddar, and add it to the patties after the first flip so that it gets nice and melted.

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