Venison Burgers

A co-worker of my son gave us some freshly-killed venison earlier this year. I sectioned it and froze it. I had some I had marked 'for grind' that I wanted to use. My husband and son raved about these delicious burgers!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 780 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons steak sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 6 hamburger buns, split
• 1 ½ cups diced onion
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ pounds venison meat, cut into 1-inch chunks, partially frozen
• ¾ pound fatty pork butt, cut into 1-inch chunks, partially frozen
• 1 cup diced button mushrooms
• 6 teaspoons softened butter, or as needed
• 12 slices pepper Jack cheese
• 6 (1/4 inch thick) slices tomato

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).

Step 2

Grind partially frozen venison meat and pork butt together using a meat grinder or food processor; transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 3

Heat unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; cook and stir onion, mushrooms, and 1 pinch salt in the melted butter until onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Step 4

Gently mix ground venison-pork mixture, onion mixture, yogurt, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper together in a bowl until just combined. Form into 6 patties and arrange on a large plate. Cover plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 5

Mix mayonnaise, steak sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice together in a bowl until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

Step 6

Spread 1/2 teaspoon butter onto the inside of each split bun.

Step 7

Heat a nonstick pan over low heat; cook buns, buttered sides down, in the heated pan until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer buns to a baking sheet and keep warm in the preheated oven.

Step 8

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook burgers, sprinkling each side with a pinch of salt, in the hot skillet until your desired degree of doneness is reached, 3 to 4 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Step 9

Top each burger with a tomato slice and two slices pepper Jack cheese. Remove skillet from heat and cover pan until cheese is slightly melted, about 5 minutes. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce onto the inside of each bun bottom. Add a cheese-tomato burger to each bun bottom; top each burger with bun top.