Venison burgers that are juicy, flavorful and so easy to make! Adding a few slices of bacon to the ground venison adds both fat and a little smoky flavor, making this venison burger recipe so delicious! Serve with smoky aioli, and you won't be able to put the burger down!
Best Venison Burger Recipe
We absolutely love venison burgers aka deer burgers!! Mixing in a few slices of finely chopped bacon to the ground venison seriously adds so much flavor, while making the burgers juicy. The bacon cooks nicely into the venison, adding flavor and fat without changing the texture.
And the smoky aioli sauce - sooo good!! It pairs perfectly with this deer burger recipe and is super easy to make with only a few ingredients you likely already have in your home.
This venison burger recipe works great for the stovetop or grill - the choice is yours! I provided instructions for both. As well, I provided cooking times and internal temperatures to help you achieve your perfect degree of doneness!
Nate likes his venison burgers cooked to medium, which is about 8 minutes of cooking time, and I like mine medium-well, which is about a minute longer.
Fall Harvest
I am so thankful that our freezer is fully stocked with venison again! 🙌 I finally harvested my very first buck in November (my first deer was a doe). I've been patiently waiting a few years for this moment, as I've had numerous opportunities to harvest smaller bucks throughout the last few years, but I was being picky.
I wanted my first buck to be one that I would want to shoulder mount, and mission accomplished! He is a nice 9 point, that could have been a 10, but he unfortunately broke off a tine. BUT, I am so grateful for the meat that he is providing us!!
It's a great feeling knowing that we get to continue to enjoy deer meat for the next year, as the meat from Nate's deer last year just ran out! Even better, I get to continue to share delicious venison recipes with all of you, like my insanely delicious Venison Steak served with a Mushroom Cream Sauce that I have been absolutely obsessing over.
What are venison burgers?
Venison burgers are just like beef burgers, but made with ground deer meat instead of ground beef! I recommend seasoning them similar to beef burgers, but also adding a little extra fat because venison is very lean.
I like to add finely chopped uncooked bacon to my ground venison to add fat and smoky flavor, resulting in juicy and delicious deer burgers.
I also have a juicy elk burger recipe with melty white cheddar cheese and served with a simple mustard aioli - it's mouthwatering! You have to try it.
Venison Burger Recipe Ingredients
- Ground venison
- Bacon
- Egg
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cheese
- Butter
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
Ingredient Notes
Bacon. Venison burger needs fat! Without the addition of fat, your venison burgers will be dry. Bacon is the perfect addition. It adds pork fat, while adding flavor at the same time! Bacon cooks nicely into the burgers, and you won't even know it's there, except for the delicious flavor!
Egg. Due to the small amount of fat, venison burgers don't hold together as nicely as ground beef. Adding one eggs works as a great venison burger binder so the burgers don't fall apart.
Butter. I like to fry venison burgers in butter because it adds great flavor and fat. But, you can also use oil or lard.
Worcestershire. The acidity of the Worcestershire helps to balance out the gamey flavor of venison.
Venison Burgers That are Juicy.
Add fat! Venison is very lean meat. In fact, the buck I just harvested had basically zero fat. Unlike ground beef that is usually 80% protein and 20% fat, ground venison is basically 100% protein.
To ensure venison burgers aren't dry, I like to add raw bacon to my meat. The bacon cooks nicely with the ground venison, making the burgers juicy and flavorful.
You won't even know there's bacon in this burger recipe, except for the delicious, slightly smoky flavor!
Evenly Portioning Burger Meat.
I love to use mason jar rings to evenly portion and shape burgers! One pound of burger perfectly fills 4 mason jar rings.
Place the rings upside and press the meat into each ring. Flip the rings over with the ground venison inside, and remove the ring. Works great! See the pictures for reference.
How Long to Cook Venison Burgers.
When cooking a venison burger, here are approximate times:
- Rare: 4 minutes
- Medium Rare: 5 minutes
- Medium: 6-7 minutes
- Medium Well: 8-9 minutes
- Well Done: 10 minutes
If using a meat thermometer, here are approximate temperatures:
- Rare: 120-125 degrees F.
- Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium: 140-145 degrees F.
- Medium Well: 150-155 degrees F.
- Well Done: 160-165 degrees F.
Cooking Venison Burgers.
Cast irons skillets are best for frying venison burgers! Cast iron conducts heat evenly, allowing you to get a nice sear on the outside of the burgers while cooking perfectly on the inside.
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, just use the best pan you've got! I just recommend avoiding a non-stick pan, as those don't allow you to get as nice of a sear on the burgers.
- Heat skillet. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with butter.
- Cook burgers. Once the skillet is hot, add the burgers and sear for 4-5 minutes, then flip, add cheese and sear another 4-5 minutes. Length of time depends on how done you like your burgers.
- Enjoy! Serve on buns with your favorite toppings!
Scroll down to the recipe for the full instructions.
How Long to Grill Venison Burgers.
Grilling burgers is just as easy and quick as cooking them on the stove. It will take about 8 minutes to grill a venison burger to medium doneness.
Here's how to do it:
- Preheat the grill. Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. If necessary, scrape the grill grates clean so the burgers don't stick.
- Grill burgers. Once hot, grill the burgers for 4-5 minutes, then flip, add cheese and grill another 4-5 minutes. Length of time depends on how done you like your burgers.
- Enjoy! Serve on buns with your favorite toppings!
Smoky Aioli.
Smoky aioli is super easy to make, and incredibly flavorful! It pairs perfectly with this venison burger recipe - I highly recommend making it!!
All you need is a few ingredients that you likely already have in your home.
- Mayo (or miracle whip)
- Dijon mustard (or substitute whatever mustard you have)
- Dill pickle relish
- Smoked paprika
Mix all the ingredients together, and that's it! Spread a thick layer of aioli over the bottom buns, top with a venison burger patty and all you favorite toppings!
Storage & Reheating.
Storing in the fridge.
Raw venison burgers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Cooked venison burgers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing Venison Burgers.
To freeze venison burgers, patty the burgers then stack together with squares of parchment paper between each burger. Place the burgers in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw the burgers in the fridge overnight before cooking as directed in the recipe.
Reheating.
I like to reheat burgers on the stovetop. Heat a skillet over medium heat with butter then sear on both sides for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until heated through. This will result in a burger that is well-done, so keep that in mind.
Otherwise, you can reheat the burgers in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Can you make this venison burger recipe ahead of time?
Yes! The raw burgers can be formed into patties 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
So that the raw burger patties don't stick together, place squares of parchment paper between each burger patty.
Remove from the fridge when you're ready to start cooking and follow the directions in the recipe card below.
Good venison burger binder.
The addition of extra fat, such as bacon, and one egg helps ground venison burgers stick together nicely.
As well, once the burgers are formed into patties, I recommend letting them rest for 10 minutes. This makes them easier to transfer to the stove or grill without falling apart.
Best cheese for this venison burger recipe.
Any type of cheese is great for venison burgers, but I recommend using a strong cheese, such as sharp cheddar for added flavor. Smoked cheese would also be great, such as smoked cheddar or smoked gouda!
Best venison burger toppings.
I recommend topping your venison burgers with cheese, lettuce, pickles and chipotle aioli! Chipotle aioli adds so much delicious, smoky flavor and pairs perfectly with venison. Tomatoes are also a great venison burger topping, but they can get a little messy!
Are venison burgers healthy?
Compared to beef, venison is lower in fat and higher in protein, making it very healthy option.
What to serve with venison burgers
More Venison Recipes You'll Love!
Juicy Venison Burgers with Smoky Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 3 slices uncooked bacon finely chopped
- 1 egg whisked
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- butter
- 4 cheese slices (I like sharp cheddar)
- 4 hamburger buns
- your favorite burger toppings: lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc.
Smoky Aioli
- ¼ cup mayo
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon pickle relish
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the venison, bacon, egg, dijon, Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Shape into 4 burger patties that are slightly larger than the buns. Let rest for about 10-20 minutes. This helps the burgers hold together when transferring to the stove or grill.
- Stovetop: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of butter. Once hot, fry the burgers about 3-5 minutes per side, about 6-7 minutes total for medium doneness. Work in batches if needed, so you don't crowd the pan. Add more butter as needed. Top the burgers with cheese during the last 1-2 minutes.
- Grill: Preheat the grill over medium-high heat, and scrape the grate clean so the burgers don't stick. Once hot, grill each patty about 3-5 minutes per side, about 6-7 minutes total for medium doneness. Top the burgers with cheese during the last 1-2 minutes.
- Toast the buns: If desired, spread butter on the insides of the top and bottom buns and place butter side down in the skillet or on the grill. Toast for 1-2 minutes until golden brown; watch closely so they don't burn.
- Smoky Aioli: In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients.
- Spread the bottom buns with smoky aioli. Add the burgers and your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
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lookie
outstanding. with a side of fresh spinach
ALENA
Delicious burgers and love the aioli!
Kelly Kochlin
Perfect photos! You do an amazing job!