These venison burgers are deliciously moist, thanks to the addition of bacon, and taste amazing! So easy to make and much healthier than beef mince, these are perfect for grilling all year round.
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.