• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Ninnescah Made
  • RECIPES
    • BREADS
    • BREAKFAST
    • CAST IRON
    • DESSERTS
      • cakes, doughnuts & cupcakes
      • pies, cookies, quick breads & bars
      • pudding, custard & ice cream
    • KOMBUCHA
    • BEVERAGES
    • MAIN DISH
    • Preserving Food
    • Salads & Side Dishes
      • Garden to Table
      • side dishes
      • SOUPS
      • Vegetarian
    • SOUPS
    • SOURDOUGH
      • sourdough discard recipes
      • SOURDOUGH
    • VENISON
  • GARDENING
    • Gardening in Zone 6B
  • HOMESTEADING
    • Chickens
    • Preserving Food
      • Dehydrating
      • Canning
    • KOMBUCHA
    • KuneKune Pigs
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Homesteading
  • Gardening
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Homesteading
    • Gardening
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipe Index

    Best Venison Burgers (ground deer meat burger)

    Published: Jan 29, 2022 · by Meg · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Who's loves a good burger?! Today I am giving classic venison burgers a fresh glow-up with sourdough buns, cheddar cheese and allll the premium thick-cut bacon! These will be the best venison burgers you will ever put in your mouth, hands down! Can you tell I'm getting a little excited?

    I am serving these with an easy aioli, a creamy mayonnaise sauce, to spread onto the toasted sourdough buns. Woodsy thyme upgrades the oven-roasted fries, and I promise even the kids will love’em!

    Grab a drink and bring your appetite! The best venison burgers of your life are comin' in hot!

    A juicy venison burger layered with crispy bacon and cheddar cheese. It's served in a mini cast iron skillet over a bed of oven fries.
    Jump to:
    • Why this is the best venison burger recipe
    • HOW TO COOK WITH GROUND VENISON
    • Delicious venison burgers (quick look)
    • HOW TO MAKE A JUICY DEER OR ELK VENISON BURGER
    • INGREDIENTS FOR THIS DEER BURGER RECIPE
    • INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THIS EASY VENISON BURGER RECIPE
    • HOW TO MAKE QUICK PICKLES
    • WHAT IS AIOLI | AN EASY AIOLI RECIPE
    • HOW TO MAKE OVEN ROASTED FRIES WITH THYME
    • HOW TO SERVE A PERFECT BURGER
    • How to season a venison burger
    • Recipe
    • Cold Weather Checklist for Chickens in Winter
    • Fluffy Blueberry Sourdough Scones with Lemon Glaze
    • Growing Onions from Seeds
    • Comments

    As an amazon associate, this post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

    Why this is the best venison burger recipe

    When we were first married, ground venison burgers were NOT a food that excited me.  Back in those days, Aaron was (is) an avid hunter and would process the deer meat with bacon fat and a different grind that wasn't. my favorite.  


    He's come a long way when it comes to butchering, and I have definitely gotten better in the kitchen! We've made all of the mistakes and learned from experience.

    Now we know how to make deer meat rival any beef burgers! Keep reading to learn how to make flavorful venison burgers for a fun burger night at your house!

    HOW TO COOK WITH GROUND VENISON

    If you have a freezer full of ground venison giving you the stink eye, this is for you! I know, I know. Back in the day, you didn't like wild game burger because your grandpa cooked it in a bad chili. This is not the same!

    HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS FOR COOKING WITH GROUND VENISON

    1. Prepare the meat well. Let it naturally thaw in the refrigerator. A quick microwave defrost will ruin the flavor of the meat (I would know, I’ve done it plenty of times). The meat will also form a better burger patty if the meat is still refrigerator chilled and not room temperature.
    2. Season it while you cook it! I remember hearing once upon a time that salt shouldn’t be added to venison in the early stages of cooking. This is FALSE! Go ahead and add the spices in the beginning (and during!).
    3. Venison benefits from added fats and acids. This both helps structure the ground meat, plus it helps to balance the natural flavors of a mature buck or bull.
    4. Cook it on medium/high heat to get perfect crispy caramelization. Don’t let it slowly boil in it’s juices as a heat that is too low draws the precious moisture out. The best burger is served medium to medium/rare. It should have a nice pink center, but not be saying, "Oh, that's raw burger in there, isn't it?" Unless you are my husband, then by all means serve it extra pink!
    Best Venison Burgers (ground deer meat burger) from a top view on brioche buns.

    Delicious venison burgers (quick look)

    For reference, today I am using 1 ½ pounds of ground elk. Venison flavors and texture can vary greatly depending on the age and health of the animal, how it is processed and the grind of the burger. My favorite ground venison is elk that has been prepared by a picky butcher who removed almost all of the silver skin.

    This 1 ½ pounds will make a six burgers: one for everyone in my family, plus one bonus for a lucky someone’s lunch later this week. No venison? No problem! This recipe can ABSOLUTELY be made with ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken or ground elk.

    In a mixing bowl, add the meat, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper. Mix with your hands until the seasonings are evenly dispersed throughout the meat.

    Use your hands to form the elk meat into ½ inch thick patties. Season the patties generously with salt and pepper. Preheat a cast iron skillet, grill, or smoker. Fully preheating your working surface allows it to give the burgers a nice sear. A preheated cast iron skillet is also nonstick and will naturally release the meat when the sear is complete.

    Cook the bacon in the cast iron skillet until done, then remove the bacon while leaving the grease. Add the patties to the bacon grease and cook for three to four minutes per side. My husband swears that the best venison burgers are cooked medium/rare with a nice pinkness to the center.

    Add the cheese during the last minute and let it melt allll over the patty. I highly recommend buttering the buns and toasting them during the last few minutes of grilling!

    HOW TO MAKE A JUICY DEER OR ELK VENISON BURGER

    There are two ways to add juiciness to wild game meat like deer and elk. One way is by cooking it in a high quality fat like rendered lard, or bacon fat. Another way is by adding an acidic liquid directly to the ground meat. If you are struggling with venison that seems extra lean or has a 'gamey' flavor, try this!

    Best Venison Burgers (ground deer meat burger) in a mini cast iron skillet with oven fries.

    INGREDIENTS FOR THIS DEER BURGER RECIPE

    • 1 ½ pound lean meat ground venison: Our favorites are ground deer meat or elk.
    • 6 hamburger buns: We love to use a sourdough, ciabatta or brioche bun
    • 12 slices Cheddar cheese
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar: Or another acid like lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
    • 6 strips bacon: Thick sliced and cut in half. Save the rendered fat for frying the deer burger patties.
    • ¾ teaspoon salt: to taste
    • ¾ teaspoon black pepper: to taste

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THIS EASY VENISON BURGER RECIPE

    • Preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Keep an eye on the skillet and reduce the heat to medium heat if it begins to smoke. The skillet should have a glossy, clean and smooth surface. If the skillet looks dull, add a small amount of oil. 
    • Cut the bacon strips in half. Cook them in the cast-iron skillet until done. Remove the bacon from the skillet, but leave the rendered bacon fat.
    • While the bacon is cooking, prepare the ground venison. In a large bowl, add the meat, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper. For additional seasoning ideas, scroll down! Mix with your hands until the seasonings are evenly dispersed throughout the meat. 
    • Form the meat into evenly sized venison patties.
    • Cook the raw venison burger patties in the bacon fat for about five minutes per side. If you did not cook bacon or have access to bacon grease, you can substitute pork fat (lard), beef fat (tallow), or any high heat fat to make these juicy venison burgers. 
    • Use a meat thermometer to check for the ideal internal temperature of 145°, which is a medium-cooked burger.
    • Time to build the burger! Each burger gets a two slices of cheddar cheese, two pieces of cooked bacon and a smear of aioli. Serve immediately!
    A jar of quick pickles with a few peppers.

    HOW TO MAKE QUICK PICKLES

    When the garden is bursting with cucumbers, this is the perfect fresh recipe! These tangy pickles are made by immersing crunchy slices of cucumbers in a mixture of vinegar, sugar and garlic.

    Begin by washing and slicing the cucumbers into thin slices. Smash two cloves of garlic and add them to a microwave safe bowl with the 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ cup white vinegar, and ⅓ cup of water. For a spicier pickle, add sliced peppers.

    Heat until boiling, then add the cucumbers and set aside to pickle. Definitely not a necessary addition to these burgers, but a fun twist if you have the ingredients handy.

    WHAT IS AIOLI | AN EASY AIOLI RECIPE

    Aioli adds a garlicky kick to hamburgers and sandwiches and is made with two very humble ingredients, garlic and mayonnaise. When making aioli, the garlic gets made into a paste with some fancy knife skills. First, mince the garlic and then smash it into a paste by pressing and dragging the knife over the pieces. In a small bowl, mix the mayo with the garlic paste. Give it a little taste test and then add just the right amount of salt and pepper. Now onto the fries!

    HOW TO MAKE OVEN ROASTED FRIES WITH THYME

    French fries are SOOO last year. Meet oven roasted or air fried fries! These flavorful fries can be roasted in the oven or baked in an AIR FRYER! I plan one-half of a potato per person and slice them into long, slender, spears. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and space the potato slices on the sheet in a single layer, with spaces between. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and finely chopped thyme. Roast at 475° for about twenty-five minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

    These oven fries can also be cooked in a single layer of in an air fryer at 390 degrees for 20 minutes. We recently added a SECOND RACK to our air fryer and it's been very helpful for cooking larger quantities. I always pause the air fryer and give the basket a shake halfway through.

    If you try to bite into one immediately, you will get burn your mouth… don’t ask me how I know! That smell, though! YUM.

    Grab the full recipe here: OVEN FRIES | EASY BAKED FRENCH FRY RECIPE.

    A cast iron skillet full of freshly baked easy oven fries on a striped tea towel served with ketchup.

    HOW TO SERVE A PERFECT BURGER

    Now the magic happens. The juicy burgers are topped with melted cheese and slathered with aioli. The buns have been toasted and the pickles are marinated and drained. The fries have been... eaten. Oops. Anyways, now is the time to layer the the bun, burger, crispy bacon, slice of cheese,  pickles, and aioli. Basically load up all of your favorite toppings! Serve it hot and enjoy the mouthwatering fruits of your labors!

    How to season a venison burger

    I wrote this recipe to be as simple as possible, but adding extra seasonings to your deer burger is always a good idea (in my humble opinion)!  Some of my favorite seasonings and herbs to use for flavorful burgers are garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.  

    If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead

    Recipe

    a juicy venison burger served with cheddar cheese and oven fries with slices of thick cut bacon. It's being served up in a mini cast iron skillet over a bed of fresh oven fries with a frosty glass of beer.

    Best Venison Burger With Bacon & Cheddar Cheese

    Who's loves a good burger?! Today I am giving classic venison burgers a fresh glow-up with sourdough buns, cheddar cheese and allll the premium thick-cut bacon! These will be the best venison burgers you will ever put in your mouth, hands down!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 People
    Calories 529 kcal

    Equipment

    • cast iron skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ pound Ground venison or ground beef, pork or chicken
    • 6 Hamburger buns
    • 12 Slices Cheddar cheese
    • 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
    • 6 strips Bacon thick cut
    • ¾ teaspoon Salt to taste
    • ¾ teaspoon Black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. The skillet should have a glossy, clean and smooth surface. If the skillet looks dull, add a small amount of oil.
    • Cut the bacon strips in half. Cook them in the cast-iron skillet until done. Remove the bacon from the skillet, but leave the rendered bacon fat.
    • While the bacon is cooking, prepare the ground venison. In a mixing bowl, add the meat, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper. Mix with your hands until the seasonings are evenly dispersed throughout the meat. Form the meat into evenly sized patties.
    • Cook the patties in the bacon fat for about five minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer to check for the ideal internal temperature of 145℉, which is a medium-cooked burger.
    • Time to build the burger! Each burger gets a two slices of cheddar cheese, two pieces of cooked bacon and a smear of aioli. Serve immediately!

    Notes

    HOW TO SERVE A PERFECT BURGER
    Now the magic happens. The juicy burgers are topped with melted cheese and slathered with aioli. The buns have been toasted and the pickles are marinated and drained. The fries have been... eaten. Oops. Anyways, now is the time to layer the the bun, burger, crispy bacon, slice of cheese,  pickles, and aioli. Basically load up all of your favorite toppings! Serve it hot and enjoy the mouthwatering fruits of your labors!
    HOW TO SEASON A VENISON BURGER
    I wrote this recipe to be as simple as possible, but adding extra seasonings to your deer burger is always a good idea (in my humble opinion)!  Some of my favorite seasonings and herbs to use for flavorful burgers are garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 40gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 956mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 317mgIron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Affectionately yours, Meg

    Other venison recipes you will love!

    • A close up view of sliced smoked venison jalepeno cheddar summer sausage showing the detail of the spices.
      Venison Jalapeño Cheddar Summer Sausage
    • A close up view of deer meat venison jerky being held.
      Homemade Venison Jerky
    • Juicy venison steaks showing how to cook a deer steak.
      How Do You Cook Venison Steaks? (grilled, pan-seared or baked)
    • A close up view of deer meat smoked venison summer sausage sliced on a wood board.
      How to make smoked venison summer sausage
    • Cold Weather Checklist for Chickens in Winter

      Cold Weather Checklist for Chickens in Winter

      Ever wonder, "Do chickens get cold in winter?" Well, I’ve been there. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about keeping chickens warm when temperatures drop. From proper coop insulation to winter feeding strategies, I’ve got some tips to make sure your flock stays healthy and comfortable all season long. Plus, I’ve put…

    • Fluffy Blueberry Sourdough Scones with Lemon Glaze

      Fluffy Blueberry Sourdough Scones with Lemon Glaze

      These easy blueberry sourdough scones with sourdough discard are light, flaky, and bursting with fresh flavor. Perfect for morning coffee or afternoon tea, they’re quick to make and include a simple lemon glaze for extra sweetness.

    • Growing Onions from Seeds

      Growing Onions from Seeds

      To make this growing onions from seed guide easier to use, this article is split up into the following sections: Basic Onion Growing Tips, When to plant Onions Zone 6, How to Plant Onions, Caring for Onions, Best Garden Companions for Onions, Common Diseases and Pest Control, and finally Harvesting & Preserving Onions.

    More Recipe Index

    • A top view of blueberry sourdough scones on a cooling rack.
      Fluffy Blueberry Sourdough Scones with Lemon Glaze
    • Two jars of whole berry cranberry sauce with a colander of fresh cranberries.
      Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce - Easy Canning Recipe
    • Christmas Star bread on parchment paper and a baking sheet, top view.
      Star Bread
    • A top view of a batch of sourdough bliss bars with orange zest, dried cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.
      Sourdough Discard Cranberry Bliss Bars

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Jason

      April 15, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      Hi there, You've done a fantastic job. I'll definitely
      digg it and personally suggest too my friends.
      I amm sure they'll be benjefited ffom this site.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Megan Austin wearing a sunhat holding salad greens in her yoderbilt greenhouse, smiling at the camera.

    I'm a wife, mama of 3, and a 5th generation farmer. Through teaching local classes and nurturing my online community, I've helped more than 100,000+ people dive into homesteading.

    More about me →

    Fresh and Fast

    • A picture of three jars of chunky homemade salsa for a blog about how to can salsa and how to make homemade salsa.
      Easy Homemade Salsa - How to Can Salsa
    • A top view of homemade ranch seasoning mix in a mason jar.
      Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
    • Slicing yellow squash for a blog post explaining how to roast zucchini and yellow squash.
      How to Roast Zucchini and Squash
    • How to Swiss chard by refrigerating, freezing, freeze drying, fermenting and dehydrating with Meg holding a jar of chard.
      How to Store Swiss Chard: 5 Methods & Step-by-Step Guide

    Sourdough Recipes

    • A close up image of a sourdough pumpkin roll.
      Sourdough Pumpkin Roll - Discard Recipe
    • A close up view of a sourdough apple zucchini muffin with the wrapper slightly unwrapped to show the detailed crumb.
      Sourdough Apple Zucchini Muffins
    • A top view of zucchini banana muffins in a muffin pan.
      Sourdough Banana Zucchini Muffins
    • A top view of sourdough peach quick bread.
      Sourdough Peach Quick Bread

    New from the Coop

    • A snow covered garden and chicken coop.
      Cold Weather Checklist for Chickens in Winter
    • A top view of a bowl filled with edible herbs for chickens and garnished with strawberry tops.
      Best Herbs For Chickens - Backyard Plants with Benefits 
    • A bowl of egg shells broken up for chickens to eat.
      Can Chickens Eat Egg Shells? A Crunchy Dilemma
    • A hand holding a jar of egg shells that are ground into powder to show how to compost egg shells for plants.
      Can You Compost Egg Shells for Plants?

    Subscribe

    Join my email list so you never miss a recipe!

    • Amazon
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Ninnescah Made