Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.

This recipe for Venison Burger came from my podcast guest, Brian Reisinger. Make sure you listen to his episode 182 The Disappearing Farmer: Brian Reisinger’s Noble Fight to Secure America's Food Supply while you make these delicious venison burgers!

closeup beauty shot of the ultimate venison burger, smothered with onions and mushrooms

You don't have to be an avid hunter to enjoy this delicious version recipe during your next burger night. Though I don't hunt myself, I'm trying to understand and embrace Brian's philosophy of being more connected to nature and understanding where our food comes from. This deeper appreciation for the journey of our food to the table is what makes this recipe truly special. If you do not hunt and do not know of anyone who you can get venison from you can always buy your ground meat from a local butcher (but check the regulations in your state because in some states it is illegal to sell venison, I ran into this issue myself!). This is the best venison burger recipe, and it’s one you’ll want to make again and again.

golden fall scene with wrapped venison in a pan surrounded by mushrooms and onions

P.S. Looking for side dishes to complete your meal? Check out this recipe for Creamy Liberian Potato Salad given to me by my podcast guests, Jah and Frances, or this recipe for Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad from my podcast guest, Lauren.

Brian's Memories of Making Recipe

I associate this recipe with my mom, who has always cooked venison tenderloin for us. This burger recipe is my own creation, but it draws on her tenderloin recipe that always used onions, and sometimes mushrooms. Deer hunting is a big tradition in our family -- we grew up learning about safe and ethical hunting from my dad, and were taught to respect the animal and our natural resources. This recipe, and hunting, grow out of living close to the land as farmers in the Midwest.

Top Tip

From Brian:

“The biggest mistake when cooking venison is to overcook the meat and let it dry out!”

From Becky (me):

Don’t skip the egg. It accomplishes two things in this recipe
- Venison meat is very lean and the egg adds in just a bit of fat.
- The onion and mushrooms will add water to the venison, which will tend to make the burger crumbly. The egg will help bind it all back together.

farm fresh eggs to hold together ultimate venison burgers

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ground Venison
Onions
Mushrooms
Seasoning - When creating your flavorful burger, Brian suggests using Lawry's Seasoned Salt and black pepper.
Butter - Cooking your venison mince in butter is a great way to add more fat to your burger resulting in juicy venison burgers instead of dry, tough burgers. You can even add some cold butter slices to your burger patty before cooking so it will have very juicy burgers.
Burger Buns - Brioche buns or store-bought buns
Mayonnaise (optional)
A slice of cheese (optional) - Cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, or your preferred cheese
Tomato (optional)
Green leaf lettuce (optional)
Lettuce (optional)
Ketchup (optional)
Mustard (optional)

woman unwraps package of ground venison for best burgers

Variations on Recipe

Cooking delicious deer burgers on gas grills vs cooking them on a stovetop

Grill
- Preheat your grill on medium-high heat or 450-500°F/232.2-260°C.
- Optional step: spray your grill grates with cooking oil.
- Place on the grill and grill your ground venison burger on the first side for 3-5 minutes, then flip.
- Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/73.88°C
Stovetop
- If using a cast iron pan, preheat your pan for a couple of minutes before cooking.
- Put your butter in the pan, then add your patties, cooking on each side for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- When cooking venison burgers, make sure there is enough butter in the pan so they don't dry out

pan including 3 vension burgers, perfectly cooked and topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms

Instructions

This is an easy recipe that follows roughly the same cooking process as making beef burgers, except with this recipe the outcome will be perfect venison burgers

Combine the ground deer meat with an egg and mix.
Add in diced onions and diced mushrooms, and mix until fully combined.
Make patties.
Heat pan to medium heat and melt the butter
Season patties on one side, and put it seasoned side down. Then season top side.
Cook until moisture begins to pool atop the patties, then flip.
Optional: prepare your toppings then serve.

Is Venison Healthier Than Beef?

Ground venison is considered to be healthier than ground beef even though they are both different kinds of red meat because it is a leaner meat. Beef and other types of red meat are usually high in unsaturated fats which can lead to problems with heart health and other cardiovascular problems. Venison (and really most wild game meat) on the other hand contains very little fat; 1 gram compared to 8 grams in a quarter-pound beef tenderloin, as well as other health benefits such as being a good source of Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus, and B Vitamins.

One thing to note, venison is higher in cholesterol than red meat so you need to keep that in mind if you are watching your cholesterol intake.

source: Steaks and Game

closeup overhead shot of venison burgers topped with perfectly caramelized onions and dry sauteed mushrooms

Equipment

Cast iron skillet OR regular skillet
Mixing bowl

Storage

The MDA recommends only storing venison meat frozen.
Once you are ready to prepare your meat, thaw it in the fridge or microwave. You can store unfrozen venison meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days and it is suggested not to store it with other ready-to-eat foods so there will be no cross-contamination.
Frozen venison can be stored in the freezer for 9-12 months.

source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Food Safety

Make sure that the internal temperature of the venison burger patties reaches at least 165°F/73.88°C to make sure any harmful bacteria are killed.
To ensure your burger meat has reached the right temperature, use an instant-read thermometer or regular meat thermometer.

source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture

a stuffed venison burger with mushrooms and onions falling off

Brian's Episode: 182 The Disappearing Farmer, Brian Reisinger's Nobel Quest to Secure America's Food Supply

Brian is the first male in four generations not to take over his family’s farm, a role taken up by his willing sister. Instead, Brian has devoted his work to shedding light on the immense challenges modern-day farmers face. In his book, Land Rich Cash Poor: My Family's Hope and the Untold Story of the Disappearing American Farmer, Brian shares personal stories of the pressures farm families endure, the generational struggles they face, and the devastating losses that occur when farms are forced to close.

In a country where 85% of dairy farms have disappeared in the last 50 years, food prices are rising, and supply chain issues are increasingly strained to the point of breaking, we can no longer look away, thinking of farms only as a nostalgic bit of Americana. As Brian says, as farms disappear, we’re not just losing food sources—we’re losing a part of ourselves. So what is to be done about this?

After reading Brian’s beautifully written book, which his family agreed should include the breadth of the farming experiences - including the harsh and painful parts - I can say with certainty that Brian, his family, and the larger community of farmers are the best people - the ONLY people - who should answer this question.

From where I sit, Brian’s family is the definition of a functional family. Through their unflinching honesty with each other, courage in making decisions that are the best rather than the most popular, and unwavering support of one another, they exemplify the strength that comes from unity and honesty. It’s these qualities that make Brian and his family uniquely trustworthy guides in navigating the complex problems facing American farmers today. If we can learn to work together with the same transparency, respect, and commitment that they have shown, we can begin to solve these issues not just as individual communities but as a nation.

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