These venison burgers are tender, juicy and packed full of flavour, but they only have a handful of ingredients.
The deer burgers have added bacon for extra flavour, which helps keep the low fat venison moist.
It is so easy to make your own burgers at home and they only take a few minutes on the grill before you can take a bite of pure pleasure.
Perfect for winter comfort food or summer eating, you'll be making these again and again.
And the best bit? They are only 119 calories each so no need for guilt either.
Bon appètit!
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My family enjoys burgers from time to time and it's so much nicer to make your own at home, so you know what has gone in them and to save money too.
These game or deer burgers can be grilled, barbecued or fried, or even popped in the airfryer and they only need a few minutes of cooking for a speedy dinner.
Make them in advance and freeze them for when you need a quick dinner or a burger fix!
❤️ Why you will love this dish
- Vension is a rich and flavourful meat that is only 10% fat, especially compared to beef mince, so it's a healthy choice for the whole family.
- There are no fillers such as breadcrumbs in this recipe, just simple ingredients.
- Each game burger is only 119 calories before the bun and toppings, which makes these a great choice for healthier eating.
- Perfect for making in advance and freezing.
- Cooked in minutes for a speedy dinner.
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🥘 Ingredients
- Venison - venison mince. This tends to be naturally around 10% fat. It is widely available online fresh or frozen.
- Bacon - smoked streaky bacon or lardons, (chopped belly bacon). Burgers should have a percentage of 80% lean meat and 20% fat, so adding bacon helps to keep the burger moist as well as adding flavour, as the fat will melt as it cooks.
- Shallot - I've used a banana shallot. They are sweeter than normal onions and have a milder taste, so they don't overpower the other flavours. They are also easier to peel than the smaller, round shallots.
- Oil - vegetable or plain olive oil.
- Salt - cooking or kosher salt to season before cooking.
- Pepper - freshly ground black pepper.
The printable recipe card with full ingredient quantities and instructions can be found at the bottom of the article.
🍽 Equipment
- sieve
- sharp knife
- chopping board
- pastry brush
- baking parchment
- frying pan or skillet.
🔪 Instructions
💭 Top Tip
- I find that bought venison mince can be quite wet. I like to let it sit in a sieve for half an hour, so that the burgers are firm and don't want to fall apart. If you still find they are wet add a tablespoon of flour to the mix.
The venison burgers are easy to make with just a few simple steps.
Peel and finely chop the shallot.
Heat the oil in a small pan and add the shallots.
Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes until softened.
This will ensure that the excess moisture from the shallots evaporates. A burger that is too wet may fall apart when cooking.
Chop the bacon as finely as possible.
Next, put the mince, cooked shallots, bacon and pepper in a bowl and lightly mix together.
Divide the mixture into four and form into patties.
Place on baking parchment or greaseproof paper on a plate and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
💭 Top Tip
- Make the patties without over handling the mixture to keep the texture light.
- It helps to make the patties slightly larger than the width of the burger bun as they will shrink as they cook.
- Put a thumb print in the middle of each one before cooking as this helps them to keep a flat shape.
⏲️ Baking Time
When you are ready to cook, heat the grill to medium.
Season the burgers with salt and black pepper on one side and place under the grill.
💭 Top Tip - How to salt steak before cooking
There's a lot to be said about the timing for salting steak before it is cooked.
- If it is salted an hour before cooking the moisture is drawn out by the salt, but is then reabsorbed, so the meat stays moist while it is cooking.
- If the meat is salted 15 minutes before cooking, for example, because you are preparing something at the same time, then the moisture escapes from the meat and it will be dry when cooked.
- To avoid doubt, generously salt the meat just before it goes in the pan, under the grill, (broiler), or on the grill.
After 3-4 minutes the top will start to brown and caramelise.
Turn the burgers over and season the other side before grilling for a further 3 minutes.
It's best to let them rest for a minute of so, for the juices to settle before serving.
Juicy, tender, and with delicious caramelisation on the outside, these deer burgers are a delicious treat with only 119 calories each!
🥗 Side Dishes
Serve the burgers all year round with a salad in the summer or one of these side dishes or in the winter without a bun and served with a sauce.
- Confit Potatoes
- Parmentier Potatoes
- French Peas
- Old Fashioned Pea Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Tomato and Onion Salad
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Courgette Salad
- Mushroom Salad
- Fennel and Pear Salad
- Béarnaise Mayo
- Forestière Sauce
- Potatoes Rissolé
- Tarragon Potato Salad
- Cherry Tomato and Feta Salad
- Broccoli and Edamame Salad
- Carrot and Celeriac Remoulade
- Baked Halloumi Fries
🥙 Substitutions
- Shallots - use brown onions instead.
📖 Variations
- Beef and venison burgers - if you prefer, mix beef mince with the venison and omit the bacon.
🍱 Prepare in Advance
- Prepare the deer burgers. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days on baking parchment. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking.
Whilst many people do, and restaurants often serve them this way like a steak, it's best to always cook any meat burgers until the juices run clear and no pink part of the meat remains.
This is because, when meat is minced, any bacteria on the outside of the meat will be dragged through to all parts of the meat in the mincing process.
Cooking it rare could mean that harmful bacteria on the inside of the burger is still present.
It is much safer if you are mincing the meat yourself.
I think this bit is totally up to each individual and the fun bit is putting out a selection of toppings and let everyone help themselves.
If you want some cheese on top, add it to the burgers for the last minute so that it melts over the burger. I like to use Cheddar, Stilton, Edam or Emmental.
Some great toppings include:
fried onion slices
crisp bacon
grilled halloumi
fried sliced mushrooms
lettuce
slices of beef tomato
Venison has quite a distinct gamey flavour. It is a rich beef flavour with the meat taking on the flavours of the animals diet.
Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais
More burger recipes to try
📋 Recipe
Venison Burgers
Equipment
- sieve
- sharp knife
- chopping board
- Pastry brush
- Baking parchment
- Frying pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 500 g vension mince
- 100 g bacon
- 1 shallot or half an onion
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil
- seasoning to cook the burgers
Instructions
- Chop the shallot and bacon finely.
- Heat the oil in a small pan and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes until softened
- Next, put the mince, cooked shallots, bacon, and pepper in a bowl and lightly mix together.
- Divide the mixture into four and form into patties. Place on greaseproof paper on a plate and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
- When you are ready to cook, heat the grill to medium . Season with a little sea salt and black pepper on one side and place under the grill.
- After 3-4 minutes the top will start to brown and caramelise. Flip them over and season the other side before grilling for a further 3 minutes.
- Let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Top tips
- It's best to season the outside of the burgers just before cooking as adding salt earlier can cause a reaction to break down the protein in the meat and draws out moisture. This dries out the burger so it won't be as juicy and tender.
- I find that bought venison mince can be quite wet. I like to let it sit in a sieve for half an hour, so that the burgers are firm and don't want to fall apart.
- Make the patties without over handling the mixture to keep the texture light.
- It helps to make the patties slightly larger than the width of the burger bun as they will shrink as they cook.
- Put a thumbprint in the middle of each one before cooking as this helps them to keep a flat shape.
- I often find it difficult to chop bacon finely as it all ends up sticking together and as it gets smaller it's harder to cut. Put it in the freezer for 20 minutes and it will make this part much easier.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
Helen
I rarely think to make burgers but you have inspired me! Thanks for this 🙂
Beth
These venison burgers were so rich and meaty! I loved the addition of bacon.
Dannii
My husband loves venison, so I knew I had to make these straight away. The flavour was amazing and he loved it.
Natalie
Love your detailed instructions on this great burger recipe! I followed them all and it was perfect, thanks!
Ieva
Delicious burgers and what a genius idea to mix in some bacon for flavour! We used smoked pancetta and they were as tasty as they were easy to make! Would highly recommend this recipe!
Tayler
I made these burgers for dinner last night and they were incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Elizabeth
These look so savory and flavorful. I can't wait to try these for my family. Thanks for posting!
Sophia
I received from fresh venison from a friend and wasn't sure what to do. These were so easy and sooo good! The bacon was such a great touch. Thanks for the recipe!
Jennifer
The bacon puts these over the top and keeps them from getting too dry! Love this recipe and make it often!
Kate
I had never thought of using venison for burgers - they look so juicy and delicious!
Amanda
Thanks Stephen. That sounds gorgeous!I would cut them as small as the onion and cook them first, as they do hold a lot of water. I'd love to know how they turn out. Amanda
Stephen Whiston
Thanks for this recipe, I I've venison and will definitely be making these. Could I also add chestnut mushrooms to it and would it be wise to cook them first like you suggest with the Charlotte?
Heather Johnson
love this - my boyfriend goes hunting every year and i never know how to make ground venison more palatable! perfect!
Beth Sachs
These look like delicious juicy burgers. I don't use venison very often but might seek some out to give these a try.
Jovita
These burgers look SO GOOD! And thank you for all the tips, they are super handy!
Kechi
This burger looks incredibly delicious - flavorful ingredients. Love that you sautéed the shallot, nice! Saving and making this next week!
Claudia Lamascolo
I really love venison, it was unfortunate we didn't get any this year but I surely will be trying this recipe as soon as we get lucky again! My husband will love this burger!