Venison Burgers

The secret to a venison burger that doesn’t dry out on the grill? A little ground pork fat.

Venison is incredibly lean, which sounds great on paper but translates to a tough, crumbly burger without some added fat to keep things juicy.

Three ounces of ground pork fat per pound of venison is the sweet spot: enough to hold the patty together and keep it moist without masking that clean, wild game flavor.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, brush with oil, and grill hot and fast.

That’s the whole playbook.

Pro Tips

• Handle the meat as little as possible when mixing and shaping. Overworking ground venison makes the burgers dense and rubbery.
• Brush the patties with oil before they hit the grill to prevent sticking and promote a better sear.
• Venison cooks faster than beef. Pull the burgers a touch earlier than you think since they’ll carry over a few degrees off the heat.
• If you can’t find ground pork fat, finely diced cold bacon works as a substitute and adds a smoky edge.