Grandpa’s Venison Burgers

photo by Jodi Richards

 

“This is a new spin on my grandpa’s recipe for venison burgers. As an avid fisher and hunter, he often served these delicious burgers to my dad, aunt and uncle when they were growing up. Grandpa uses the sausage to give the lean venison some extra fat to hold the patties together on the grill. I’ve added the spices and peppers to give it a little extra heat!” – Megan Moore, dietetic intern with Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Ingredients
1 pound ground venison
2 Italian sausages
1 small onion
½ cup mushrooms
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme
For extra heat, 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeño or poblano pepper (about 1 whole jalapeño or 1/3 of a whole poblano)
Hamburger buns

Directions
Peel and dice half of the onion into ¼-inch pieces. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel then dice into ¼-inch pieces. If using jalapeño or poblano, rinse the pepper and dice to ¼” pieces. (For less heat, remove the seeds and sauté the peppers in oil before adding into the meat. For more heat, add the seeds and uncooked peppers.)

Remove sausage from casing if necessary. Mix ground venison, sausage, onion, mushrooms, peppers if using, and spices by hand. Divide into 6 even portions, about 3 ounces each. Shape the patties into thick rounds with a slight impression in the middle of each.

Grill patties on preheated flattop griddle or two sided grill. The patties will be very lean so it is best not to cook them on a grated grill as they may fall apart. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the center of a patty reads at least 160° F.

Top with your favorite hamburger toppings (suggested: lettuce, tomato, onion and barbecue sauce) and enjoy! Makes 6 Burgers.

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