# Venison Burgers



## kerstingm (Dec 9, 2018)

Just cooked a batch of Venison Burgers on the charcoal grill,  talk about a new learning curve I need to learn.
18 out, i was surprised how fast they cooked, damn did they come out good,


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## chilerelleno (Dec 9, 2018)

Man, that sounds really good and all.

But the lack of pictures is disturbing. :rolleyes:


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## JustInCase (Dec 9, 2018)

Pics or didnt happen ;)


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## SmokinAl (Dec 10, 2018)

They sure sound good!!
Al


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## HalfSmoked (Dec 10, 2018)

For sure venison burgers are great. Maybe I'll have some soon 2 of my grandkids got a doe.

Warren


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## kerstingm (Dec 10, 2018)

Sorry for the no pics, low 18 out grill didn't turn out like I wanted (I'm sure others out there have had similar issues???)
My biggest issue was my burgers didn't sweat/bleed through top like they have in warmer temps


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## chilerelleno (Dec 10, 2018)

_'Pics or It Didn't Happen'_ is just a catch phrase , tell me you never heard it before?


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## JustInCase (Dec 10, 2018)

Im sure the burgers were great.


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## pc farmer (Dec 10, 2018)

Did you make a small indent in the middle of the patty?   I always do


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## bmudd14474 (Dec 10, 2018)

This thread was edited because of some language and all. If something was deleted please do not be offended


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## chilerelleno (Dec 10, 2018)

I'm not offended Brian, thanks to you and Adam for taking out the trash.


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## HalfSmoked (Dec 11, 2018)

Thanks Moderators.

Warren


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## kerstingm (Dec 12, 2018)

Sorry for my outburst,  had a bad day and took the comment the wrong way


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## chilerelleno (Dec 12, 2018)

kerstingm said:


> Sorry for my outburst,  had a bad day and took the comment the wrong way


Thank you for the apology.
We all have a bad day now and then.
Respect to you for this post.


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## banderson7474 (Dec 12, 2018)

My ground deer is pretty lean so I'm a little nervous on trying to make burgers out of it.  I'm thinking I would have to add a little fat or maybe ground pork to add to it.  Wife and I made meat loaf out of ground deer over the weekend and it tastes okay but even with all the normal load ingredients, it still isn't that juicy.  Just a very lean meat.


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## chilerelleno (Dec 12, 2018)

My hunting buddy, George, he turns everything but the tenderloins and backstraps into ground.
He adds pork fat/bacon grease by as much as 40% of weight.
It still cooks right out of it, but keeps it moist.

Myself on the other hand , I do zero ground.
All roasts, steaks, medallions and stew meat.


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## banderson7474 (Dec 12, 2018)

On the other hand, I really enjoy ground deer for tacos but don't have to worry about it staying formed like a burger of course.

Chile, I've never had a roast from a deer yet.  Unfortunately, my neighbor lost his hunting land lease this year so I need to find a new hunting land as we speak.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

banderson7474 said:


> On the other hand, I really enjoy ground deer for tacos but don't have to worry about it staying formed like a burger of course.
> 
> Chile, I've never had a roast from a deer yet.  Unfortunately, my neighbor lost his hunting land lease this year so I need to find a new hunting land as we speak.




The problem with Deer Roasts is you can't remove the disgusting Fat from the inside of the roast.
That's the stuff they make candles out of & the stuff that forms on the roof of your mouth after eating a Venison Roast.

We don't care for straight Venison Burger.
After many years of varying the amounts in our mixes, we settled in on our favorite mix:
50% Venison
25% Pork (as in Pork Butt)
25% Beef (80/20 Beef)

Works Great on the Grill too.

Bear


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## ab canuck (Dec 12, 2018)

banderson7474 said:


> My ground deer is pretty lean so I'm a little nervous on trying to make burgers out of it.  I'm thinking I would have to add a little fat or maybe ground pork to add to it.  Wife and I made meat loaf out of ground deer over the weekend and it tastes okay but even with all the normal load ingredients, it still isn't that juicy.  Just a very lean meat.


 We usually save our deer for sausage and jerky. We use it as well as our moose or elk for burger and we add 10% beef fat to the mix. It fries up great not to dry with no excess grease / moisture in the bottom of the pan. It makes great burgers as well. Like on the venison burgers.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

ab canuck said:


> We usually save our deer for sausage and jerky. We use it as well as our moose or elk for burger and we add 10% beef fat to the mix. It fries up great not to dry with no excess grease / moisture in the bottom of the pan. It makes great burgers as well. Like on the venison burgers.




Sure, Rub it in "Our Moose" and "Our Elk"!!!

Bear


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## banderson7474 (Dec 12, 2018)

Deer sausage is probably my favorite.  2nd goes to cubed meat.  I love to put spog on the cubed and cook it in a pan a couple of mins on each side.


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## chilerelleno (Dec 12, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> The problem with Deer Roasts is you can't remove the disgusting Fat from the inside of the roast.
> That's the stuff they make candles out of & the stuff that forms on the roof of your mouth after eating a Venison Roast.
> 
> 
> Bear


Dang John, thats curious, which venison roast are you finding this fat in?
Maybe ourSouthern deer are leaner and don't acquire this fatty deposit?
Or maybe someone isn't removing a gland?


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> Dang John, thats curious, which venison roast are you finding this fat in?
> Maybe ourSouthern deer are leaner and don't acquire this fatty deposit?
> Or maybe someone isn't removing a gland?





I guarantee your Southern Deer don't have near the terrible Tallow Fat in them, like ours do.
They don't have to survive the Minus Zero Temps & the numerous feet of Snow down there.
We got fat & sinew in between sections of all Venison Roasts, and never even think about saving the Ribs.
Southern boys aren't the only ones who know about removing glands. LOL
Ask any other Northern Hunter---Don't go by what I say, you know how I BS everybody!

Bear


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## chilerelleno (Dec 12, 2018)

Yeah, but fat in the roast?
Man I've hunted up North and never had fat like that IN the meat, just a little  intramuscular fat aka marbling.
Any hard fat was trimmed off like everything else.
I know you're not BSing, but I'm curious about inedible roasts.

Not directed at you...
You know how many oblivious people I've encountered when it comes to glands/kernels in all sorts of critters?
Boggles the mind.
Some folks never cleaned a deer much less butcher it. Rather drop it off somewhere and it magically reappears in butcher paper.
I bet you know a few too.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> Yeah, but fat in the roast?
> Man I've hunted up North and never had fat like that IN the meat, just a little  intramuscular fat aka marbling.
> Any hard fat was trimmed off like everything else.
> I know you're not BSing, but I'm curious about inedible roasts.




I didn't say Inedible!
If you like scraping tallow off the roof of your mouth, then a PA Deer is your Huckleberry.
I've eaten part of over 100 PA Deer---Mostly from my Dad's kill, when I was a kid, and all of us Kids hated it.
Then I started picking Fat & Sinew (silver-skin) off mine & it was better, but like I said there was stuff inside the roasts that I could only get out by breaking the roasts down.
Eventually I went to Everything going to Burger, except the Backstraps.
This is still the way we do all of the Deer my Son gets. I no longer hunt.

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

Chile
Maybe we're talking past each other:
I'm not talking about actual fat inside the middle of each small roast, like the Eye, Top, & Bottom Roast.
I'm talking about all the Fat, Sinew, and Silver-skin between each one of them & the part around the bone, you probably call a "Shank Roast". After I'd get done trimming all the crap from between all those roasts, there isn't much left.
That's why I quit making Dried Beef from my Venison Hind quarters, and went right to the Backstraps. Too much freaking Work cleaning all those up!!
I know the 11 pointer Bear Jr got with his Bow was a Royal PITA. It dressed out at 212, and had a ton of Fat in it.

That's one of the reasons you see me making so many Deerburgers, plus it's the best tasting way to eat Venison. IMHO

Bear


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## kerstingm (Dec 12, 2018)

Main reason for post was I was questioning when to flip and pull, the burgers didn't sweat/bleed through like normal burgers. I usually us my grind for chili, this was my second straight venison burger grill, 1st one came out great no game back flavor. This time there was a deeper game taste.  I'm good either way. I had a couple leftovers today and zero game taste just great burgers 
Just hate to over cook anything


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2018)

kerstingm said:


> Main reason for post was I was questioning when to flip and pull, the burgers didn't sweat/bleed through like normal burgers. I usually us my grind for chili, this was my second straight venison burger grill, 1st one came out great no game back flavor. This time there was a deeper game taste.  I'm good either way. I had a couple leftovers today and zero game taste just great burgers
> Just hate to over cook anything




Keep up the good work!!
Sometimes one will just sneak up on you.
You'll be ready for that to happen next time.
Glad you're lovin' them!!

Bear


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## chilerelleno (Dec 12, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> Chile
> Maybe we're talking past each other:
> I'm not talking about actual fat inside the middle of each small roast, like the Eye, Top, & Bottom Roast.
> I'm talking about all the Fat, Sinew, and Silver-skin between each one of them & the part around the bone, you probably call a "Shank Roast". After I'd get done trimming all the crap from between all those roasts, there isn't much left.
> ...


Yep, we were and I understand you now.

But... And I get a laugh out of this... Not much left?
Man y'all's deer dwarf ours, 212 dressed out, damn, we think 200 on the hoof  is nice big buck.
Wanna talk about not much left after trimming.

Burgers best tasting way?
Uh Oh, you and I are gonna have to agree to disagree, cause steaks and medallions the best tasting way to eat venison.  IMHO. :D


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## gmc2003 (Dec 12, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> Sure, Rub it in "Our Moose" and "Our Elk"!!!
> 
> Bear



Now, now didn't Brian just edit this thread for foul language. :p

Chris


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## kerstingm (Dec 12, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> Yep, we were and I understand you now.
> 
> But... And I get a laugh out of this... Not much left?
> Man y'all's deer dwarf ours, 212 dressed out, damn, we think 200 on the hoof  is nice big buck.
> ...



Unfortunately I didn't get out this year, I was fortunate a buddy got a bigin (220)dressed out
He did share his back strap and tenderloins (I am very fortunate on that)
Wished I'd grilled, cast iron was okay,  not even close to off the smoker/grill flavor


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## Bearcarver (Dec 13, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> Yep, we were and I understand you now.
> 
> But... And I get a laugh out of this... Not much left?
> Man y'all's deer dwarf ours, 212 dressed out, damn, we think 200 on the hoof  is nice big buck.
> ...




Don't misunderstand me on that "Horse" Bear Jr shot with his Bow. That was a Freak!! I helped him drag it, and it was like a horse. Mt biggest 2 bodies in my career were both Buck---My first Buck (8 pointer) dressed out at 162, and then one after getting back from Vietnam---(a 7 Pointer) that dressed out at 146.
Most of the rest of mine were probably under 140 Live weight.
Bear Jr is mostly a Trophy Hunter these days, and won't shoot anything that won't add to his headmounts on his Livingroom wall, except for making sure he gets something to supply us with our yearly Deerburger supply.

And as for steaks & medallions, or any other kind of Deer Meat, I compare it to Beef, and the only thing I like more from Deer than from Beef is My Dried Beef, and our Deerburger. Any other Steaks, Roasts, or whatever I would prefer Beef over Venison without exception, and by far. That goes for myself, and anyone in my family, including my Son & my Brother who is also a Vietnam Vet who hunted all of his life. We all prefer Beef to Venison.

Bear


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## tallbm (Dec 14, 2018)

kerstingm said:


> Main reason for post was I was questioning when to flip and pull, the burgers didn't sweat/bleed through like normal burgers. I usually us my grind for chili, this was my second straight venison burger grill, 1st one came out great no game back flavor. This time there was a deeper game taste.  I'm good either way. I had a couple leftovers today and zero game taste just great burgers
> Just hate to over cook anything



Straight venison grind with no added fat won't release much liquid.  You just have to eyeball it unless you want to really want to get regimented about it.  In that case you get your grill to a certain temp, throw the meat on and flip after x amount of minutes.  Pull the burger after a specific amount of cooking time.   
I do something like that with my grilled salmon so the skin gets good and crispy and the whole piece of fish is cooked well.  
If I'm doing 100% ground venison with no added fat I feel they are juicier if skilliet fried and in a skillet you can always stab into one patty to check it so you don't overcook any of them.  I have no problem eating 1 slightly probed or cut into patty so that method is simple and easy for me as well :)

I hope this info helps :)


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## archeryrob (Dec 15, 2018)

Chile, I can back bear up on this one. I killed a doe a week and a half a go and there were spots on the top of her hinds that had 9/16" of fat on them. Almost the thickness of one of my fingers. I was literally digging in the football roast bottom trying to get all the fat out.

Bear, that deer tallow is great. I fried it outside and made a lot of dog bacon to extract the tallow. OUTSIDE is key to having a happy wife. I made Black powder patch lube for felt wads with 1/2 tallow and beeswax and I have a batch I made going on two years and he tallow is still in the basement fridge. No mold or anything. Left it out on the basement work bench for a month just to test it. It is still good.

TallBM, we mix pork or beef in with our ground deer, just to make it easier and stretch it. Buddy does this also. We are lazy and let it cook too long sometimes drinking beer. ;)  My M-i-L takes what I give her and makes burger straight and will fry it in Olive oil in  a cast iron pan. I'd let her cook for me too, but she moved all he way down to Memphis making that difficult.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 15, 2018)

archeryrob said:


> Chile, I can back bear up on this one. I killed a doe a week and a half a go and there were spots on the top of her hinds that had 9/16" of fat on them. Almost the thickness of one of my fingers. I was literally digging in the football roast bottom trying to get all the fat out.
> 
> Bear, that deer tallow is great. I fried it outside and made a lot of dog bacon to extract the tallow. OUTSIDE is key to having a happy wife. I made Black powder patch lube for felt wads with 1/2 tallow and beeswax and I have a batch I made going on two years and he tallow is still in the basement fridge. No mold or anything. Left it out on the basement work bench for a month just to test it. It is still good.
> 
> TallBM, we mix pork or beef in with our ground deer, just to make it easier and stretch it. Buddy does this also. We are lazy and let it cook too long sometimes drinking beer. ;)  My M-i-L takes what I give her and makes burger straight and will fry it in Olive oil in  a cast iron pan. I'd let her cook for me too, but she moved all he way down to Memphis making that difficult.




Yeah, My Dad wasn't picky enough when he went over all the meat, and left a good amount of Fat in & on Roasts & Chops.
We 3 oldest Kids could have Spit Candles after most Venison Suppers.

Bear


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