venison burger recipe
Jennifer Danella for Wide Open Spaces

The Best Venison Burger Recipe, According to a Chef and Hunter

The secret to the best deer meat burger: It's in the sauce.

We all have our favorite venison recipes for savoring this wild game meat. But you just can't beat a juicy, salty burger packed to the brim with toppings and oozing flavor from every (round) corner. As both a hunter and a chef, this venison burgers recipe is a go-to in my household, with the ground deer meat patty seared on the grill or even a hot cast iron pan.

Of course, high-quality venison is key to the best burger, but for this easy recipe, the sauce is everything. I mean, mayo, BBQ sauce, and Dijon mustard? You really can't go wrong. Slather it on both the top and bottom buns to score serious flavor in every bite.

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The Ultimate Venison Burger Recipe

 
 
 
 
 
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Burger Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground venison
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese (or other, such as American, cheddar cheese, or even crumbled blue cheese)
  • 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked
  • 4 brioche hamburger buns
  • ¾ cup crispy onion straws
  • 4 slices lettuce
  • ½ cup sliced pickles
  • 4 tomato slices

Sauce Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Recipe Directions:

  1. Preheat your grill or cast iron pan to medium-high heat.
  2. Combine the ingredients for the burger sauce in a medium-size bowl and set in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
  3. Combine ground meat, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper in a large bowl and mix using your hands until seasonings are evenly distributed. Separate into four quarter-pound portions. Form the venison meat mixture into burger patties about the same size as the bun. Use your thumb to lightly press into the center of the burger patty.
  4. Once the grill is hot, grill each patty about 3 to 5 minutes per side before you flip, about 6 to 7 minutes total time for medium doneness. Top the burgers with cheese during the last 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from grill and place onto a bun. Top each one with cooked bacon, onion straws, lettuce, pickles and tomato, and drizzle with the burger sauce.

READ MORE: How Long Is Deer Meat Good in the Freezer?