For anyone wanting to spice things up on burger night, the recipe below is one you’ll want to add to your lineup, for sure. It’s a great way to turn ordinary burgers into an extraordinary burger option that’s sure to please every one sitting at the table. This month, our buddy, Cody Marshall, of the Wayfinder’s Galley gives us a step by step look at how to make stuffed venison burgers. Check it out below.
The Grind
If you take your deer to a processor, then feel free to skip to the next section. However, if you process your own meat, there are a few considerations to make when grinding venison. Think about what the venison will be used for, the preferred fat content, and the desired flavors. A bit of extra planning on the front end can have huge flavor impacts.
The first thing to consider is the venison’s purpose. Will it be used for soups, chili, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, hot pockets, etc? Or will it be used for meatballs, burgers, meat loafs, and sausage? For me, this dictates the second consideration, fat content. I do not add any fat to meat that is used in soups, chili, or fillers. I do, however, add fat to venison used for burgers, sausages, loafs, and meatballs.
Fat content is a personal preference. Mine is 90/10 for burgers, 80/20 for the rest. (Side note: summer sausage recipes can call for 70/30). Beef fat, pork fat, and bacon are all good fat sources for ground venison with the latter creating a more flavorful option.
A lot of my processed deer get flavored before they hit the freezer. For chili meat, the chunks of meat get rubbed with chili seasoning before they go in the grinder. Tacos, enchiladas, and burritos get a type of taco seasoning. Meatballs and loaf grinds may get Italian seasoning. You can see where this is going. The “plain” grinds still usually at least get salt and pepper. (Flavor God Himalayan Salt and Pink Peppercorn is a favorite for this.) I also do this with backstrap by adding a little bit of salt and pepper or possibly a Cajun seasoning. The flavor difference is huge.
For these Stuffed Venison Burgers, I seasoned a 90/10 ratio of venison and thick cut bacon with Kinder’s The Blend (salt, garlic, pepper) and ran it through the grinder twice. One pound of this ground venison makes 4 stuffed venison burgers.
Ingredients for Stuffed Venison Burgers
For these burgers, you will need:
- 1lb of ground venison
- ½ cup Shredded Cheese
- 1-2 Jalapenos, chopped
- ½ Onion, chopped
- 2 tpsp butter (optional)
The cheese and vegetables are “stuffed” fillers. The options here are endless here. You can use bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss; onions and beer cheese, fajita veggies and queso, or onions, chorizo, jalapenos, and queso. The list goes on.
Tips for the Best Venison Burgers
Use at least a 90/10 ratio. I know several people that don’t add fat to their ground venison and then add things like eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs, etc. to bind the meat. This is not the recipe for that method. An 80/20 ratio is a great starting point, but you can make it work with a leaner grind. Zero fat will likely crumble and other additives to the grind will take away from the stuffing.
Place the stuffed burgers in the fridge before cooking. After creating the stuffed patties, I like to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about twenty minutes. This helps seal the combined patties and prevent separation.
Use a burger press. The easiest way to make these is with a burger press. You can stuff the burger and perfectly press it in no time.
Use a skillet or flat iron grill. Using a flame grill is risky business with this recipe. It’s not impossible but requires more monitoring and skill. You can do a quick sear on a cast iron or flat grill, toss in the oven, and place your attention elsewhere, like toasting some quality burger buns, while the burgers finish.
Directions
- (Optional) Place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onions and jalapenos and cook until brown. Stick the vegetables in the freezer to cool while you prepare the patties.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Make 8, 2-ounce burger patties that are equal in size.
- Mix approximately ½ cup of shredded cheese with the chilled, sautéed vegetables and add 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture to the center of 4 patties.
- Place the remaining 4 burger patties over the filler topped patties, slightly tucking inward and pressing down. Wrap the bottom patty upward, pressing the edges in firmly to create a good seal that will not separate. Also, take this time to form and shape the stuffed patty.
- Reheat the skillet to medium-high and sear the burgers for 2-3 minutes on each side before placing the skillet in the oven for approximately 8 minutes.
- Eat as stand-alone stuffed burgers or serve on toasted brioche buns. Enjoy!
