deer meat Archives - Miss Allie's Kitchen

Perfect Venison Burgers | How to Make a Juicy + Flavorful Deer Burger

Making perfect venison burgers isn’t hard. All you need to do is add a bit of fat and a few flavors to make this underrated meat shine on burger night.

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Making perfect venison burgers isn’t hard—it’s an exciting adventure that brings a unique twist to your burger nights! We mix it up between these Perfect Venison Burgers, Uncle Momo’s Smash Burgers and my Venison Sliders (so perfect for game day apps or a cookout). Venison is lean, so adding a bit of fat, like bacon or beef tallow, is key to keeping your burgers juicy and flavorful. Fire up your grill and get ready to savor that smoky, mouthwatering goodness!

When it comes to toppings, let your creativity run wild! Whether it’s a classic combo of lettuce, tomato, and cheese or something more adventurous like caramelized onions and blue cheese, the sky’s the limit. Pair your perfect venison burgers with your favorite sides—think crispy potatoes, a fresh summer salad or my quinoa tabbouleh —and you’ve got a meal that’s ready to impress. So, get ready to embrace the fun of summer grilling with these tasty, juicy venison burgers!

Venison burgers are a popular dish to make with ground deer meat, but they often end up dry, tough and gamey. If you find that this is usually true for you, you’re probably cooking venison burgers like you’re cooking beef burgers. With just a few simple tricks, you can take your wild game burger night to the next level and start using up that ground venison you have in the freezer. (For more venison cooking tips check out my free guide!)

Venison burgers are always a go-to in our house year-round when we’re trying to use up ground venison, and these honestly are so crazy flavorful and juicy, I like them even more than traditional beef or turkey burgers. The best part is the lean, grass-fed, responsibly sourced protein.

INGREDIENTS & KITCHEN TOOLS | VENISON MEAT, SPICES, FROZEN BUTTER

ground deer meat with seasoning in a white bowl

We make venison burgers on repeat in our home and they are not just a summer meal around here.

Ground venison
Balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Sea salt
Black pepper
Freezing cold butter, grated* (the secret ingredient here)
Hamburger buns (brioche is best and toppings you like – cheese (we like Pepper or Colby Jack), lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, etc.

For your toppings, feel free to mix it up, some like to keep it simple with the basics (slices of cheese, mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and pickles), but you could easily get creative by adding some bacon and a fried egg on top!

Kitchen Tools:

To whip up these burgers, you’ll need a bowl and whatever form of equipment you plan on cooking your burgers in (if using a grill, preheat to medium-high heat and spray grill grates with a grill spray. If cooking on a stovetop, I recommend a cast iron skillet).

STEP BY STEP | MAKING THE BEST VENISON BURGER RECIPE

Step 1: Before beginning, place a stick of butter in the freezer.

Step 2: If you’re cooking your burgers on a grill, go ahead and preheat the grill to medium-high (450-500F). If you’re cooking on a stovetop, get out a large pan (preferably cast-iron) and set it on the appropriate burner. You’re going to want to heat the pan for 3-5 minutes before cooking, so keep that in mind.

Step 3: Mix together the venison, balsamic, Worchestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. I like to use a fork and my hands. It’s good to use a fork to “fluff” and break up the meat, you don’t want it too packed.

Step 4: Right before you form the patties, grate in about 2 tablespoons of freezing cold butter (I use a regular, old cheese grater) into your meat mixture. Mix again quickly just to distribute, but not so much that the butter melts.

Step 5: Form the meat into 4 evenly sized balls and then shape them into patties. Form a divot with your thumb in the top of the burgers to help catch some of the juice.

Step 6: Place the burgers on the grill or in the hot pan, and cook for anywhere from 5-8 minutes per side. I like to just flip the burgers once so they have a nice crust. If you’re using cheese, add your cheese when you flip your burger over.

Step 7: I use an internal read thermometer and pull my burgers at 140-145F (medium) but you can pull them at 150F-160F if you like yours more well done.

Step 8: Let your venison burger patties rest for 5-10 minutes (SERIOUSLY) before assembling and eating. Voila!

NOTE:

When I tell people to add butter to burger meat, I sometimes get flak from the health police. To me, it makes a huge difference, but of course, it isn’t 100% necessary. If you do not want to use the butter, just don’t use it. Your burger won’t be as juicy, and it’s only about 1/2 Tbsp. per serving. I always opt for very high-quality, grass-fed butter, by the way.

Cooking Tip

The trick to cooking venison burgers is to add a bit of fat, in this case, grated frozen butter, to the meat because it’s very lean. Also, make sure you don’t overcook them!

ground deer meat with grated butter with seasoning in a white bowl

TIPS AND TRICKS | PERFECTLY JUICY VENISON BURGERS & FINDING THE PERFECT MEAT-TO-FAT RATIO

Adding fat

In this recipe, you’ll see below that I’m using cold, grated butter and mixing a bit into the patties. Not too much, you don’t want the burger to be greasy, but just about 1/2 tablespoon of grated butter per patty to give it some juice.

Our deer meat is also cut with 10% pork fat, so be sure to add some sort of fat to your grind (or have your butcher do it) when processing the meat.

Cooking to perfection

One of the #1 ways to ruin deer meat is to overcook it. I like my steaks rare to medium rare and my burgers just over medium, so about 140F internally.

Once your burgers reach about 140-145F, pull them off the heat source you’re using and let them rest for a few minutes before serving them. This is SO important.

venison burger patties on a baking sheet

How do you make deer burgers taste good?

If you don’t love the flavor of venison, or even if you do and you want to enhance it, you’re going to want to add a bit of seasoning and acid to your burgers to let the meat shine.

I add a bit of balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to combat the richness but bring out the meaty flavor.

Then, it’s just simple salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. It’s really that easy!

HOW TO SERVE

These venison burgers are served perfectly as is. We always use a delicious brioche bun, with your favorite toppings – YUM. These pair perfectly with my Southwest Pasta Salad, Tabbouleh Salad, or some Homemade French Fries.

STORING & REHEATING

If you happen to have any of these leftover (very rare around here), store them in an airtight container and simply reheat in the microwave or stovetop, just for a few minutes until heated through.

OTHER VENISON RECIPES

There are so many delicious ways to use up that extra ground venison you have in your freezer. My Award-Winning Venison Chili is always a fan favorite. I also cannot recommend my Best Every Venison Meatballs – they are perfect for meal prep & store perfectly in the freezer. Venison Sloppy Joe’s & Venison Burrito Bowls are the perfect quick and easy weeknight meals that the whole family will love. If you need some other burger recipes, here are some of our favorites: Uncle Momo’s Smash Burgers, Elk Burgers, Venison Sliders, and for a low-carb option try these Venison Burger Bowls.

Love this recipe? Make sure to order a copy of my cookbook, Venison Every Day, for more amazing deer meat ideas.

Venison Burger

Making perfect venison burgers isn’t hard. All you need to do is add a bit of fat and a few flavors to make this underrated meat shine on burger night.

Author: Miss AK
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: 4 burgers 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Grill/Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Scale

Ingredients

1 lb. ground venison
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. freezing cold butter, grated*
Burger buns (brioche is best and toppings you like – cheese (we like Pepper or Colby Jack), lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, etc.

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Before beginning, place a stick of butter in the freezer.
If you’re cooking your burgers on a grill, go ahead and preheat the grill to medium-high (450-500F). If you’re cooking on a stovetop, get out a large pan (preferably cast-iron) and set it on the appropriate burner. You’re going to want to heat the pan for 3-5 minutes before cooking, so keep that in mind.
Mix together the venison, balsamic, Worchestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. I like to use a fork and my hands. It’s good to use a fork to “fluff” and break up the meat, you don’t want it too packed.
Right before you form the patties, grate in about 2 tablespoons of freezing cold butter (I use a regular, old cheese grater). Mix again quickly just to distribute, but not so much that the butter melts.
Form the meat into 4 evenly sized balls and then shape them into patties. Form a divot in the top of the burgers to help catch some of the juice.
Place the burgers on the grill or in the hot pan, and cook for anywhere from 5-8 minutes per side. I like to just flip the burgers once so they have a nice crust. If you’re using cheese, add your cheese when you flip your burger over.
I use an internal read thermometer and pull my burgers at 140-145F (medium) but you can pull them at 150F-160F if you like yours more well done.
Let your burgers rest for 5-10 minutes (SERIOUSLY) before assembling and eating. Voila!

Notes

When I tell people to add butter to burger meat I sometimes get flack from the health police. To me, it makes a huge difference, but of course, it isn’t 100% necessary. If you’re wanting to not use the butter, just don’t use it. But, your butter won’t be as juicy and it’s only about 1/2 Tbsp. per serving. I always opt for very high quality, grass-fed butter, by the way.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 burger (patty only)
Calories: 269
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 678 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 30 g
Cholesterol: 126 mg

This post was originally published in June 2020. It was updated in May 2025.

20 Healthy Venison Recipes | A Fresh Take on Wild Game

These easy & healthy venison recipes will help you use up your deer meat. From easy ground meat recipes to gourmet ideas, you’ll find something here!

Hand holding a prepared Mediterranean Venison Steak Bowl with a fork in it

It can be really hard to find healthy venison recipes. What you’ll find is a lot of outdated dishes that seem to be fried, or covered with sauces to mask the flavor of deer meat.

But, what you’ll find is that with the right recipes, venison is really delicious and isn’t gamey at all. It’s also a great red meat to add to a healthy diet.

KEY INGREDIENTS & KITCHEN TOOLS TO HAVE ON HAND WHEN COOKING WILD GAME

When preparing venison recipes, there are key ingredients that I like to keep in my pantry and fridge so that I can always whip something delicious up when I defrost deer meat from my deep freezer. Here’s what I like to have on hand:

1. Venison: The star of the show, ensuring you have fresh and high-quality cuts is essential. You can also use a variety of game meat for these recipes as well, elk, moose, antelope and so much more!

2. Herbs and Spices: My staples include Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, chili powder, kosher salt and black pepper. My cookbook has a whole list!

3. Marinades: A good marinade can tenderize the meat and bring out its natural flavors. Consider using red wine, Worcestershire sauce, or balsamic vinegar as a base for your marinades. I also have an incredible All-Purpose Marinade that is perfect for any cut of meat.

4. Stock or Broth: Stock or broth (chicken, vegetable, or beef broth all work) is the perfect liquid ingredient to have on hand to add to recipes, it helps keep the meat moist and intensifies the overall taste. Check out my Homemade Venison Stock recipe!

5. Butter or Olive Oil: These fats are perfect for cooking venison as they add richness and prevent it from drying out.

6. Vegetables: Pairing your venison with vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic cloves, not only adds color to your plate but also complements its earthy flavors. Diced tomatoes and tomato paste are also great ingredients to have on hand for a pop of flavor!

By having these key ingredients on hand, you’ll be well-equipped to create delicious and memorable venison dishes that are sure to be a hit!

Kitchen Tools

There are quite a few kitchen essentials that I always have on hand when cooking with Venison. Whether you are cooking your meat in a smoker, a cast iron skillet, a slow cooker, or baking pan, it is always important to make sure you have the best quality equipment to help your meat cook evenly and properly. I also recommend a sharp knife for cutting your meat and a good quality cutting board. Lastly, I always have my meat thermometer on hand for making sure my venison reaches the proper internal temp. This also makes for a great gift!

WHY IS VENISON HEALTHY?

Did you know that venison packs, on average, a whopping 35 grams of protein per 4 oz serving with only 4 grams of fat and 180 calories? It’s also really high in iron, making it a great substitute to ground beef because it’s lower in fat and calories.

Another great thing about venison is that most people know where it’s coming from. If you have venison in your freezer, you or a family member or friend most likely sourced the grass-fed, free-range protein. No growth hormones, pesticides in feed – just food from the land. What could be better than that?

Now that we know venison is a great addition to a healthy diet, let’s find you some recipes.

THE BEST HEALTHY VENISON RECIPES

Here are a few of my favorite venison recipes that are great healthy meal ideas. I can’t wait to see which one is your favorite!

Gluten-Free Venison Meatballs (aka the best venison meatballs ever)

These are the perfect blend of venison and ground pork, mixed with almond meal instead of breadcrumbs for these healthy little morsels! Serve them with zoodles for a great, healthy meal.

Gluten-Free Venison Meatloaf

I love this recipe SOO much. You’ll use Almond meal instead of bread crumbs & I use coconut sugar to sweeten the tomato glaze.

sliced smokey venison meatloaf on a wood platter with a knife

Venison Backstrap

The backstrap (or deer loin) is one of the most popular prime cuts of venison. This roasted venison backstrap recipe is easy and delicious, just season, roast in the oven, slice and enjoy.

Healthier Venison Stroganoff

This recipe uses coconut milk and Greek yogurt instead of heavy and sour cream for the gravy. With tender mushroom and the perfect blend of seasonings, serve this over some egg noodles or roasted spaghetti squash for a quick & delicious meal!

venison stroganoff on a plate with a black charger and a silver fork and parsley

Mediterranean Steak Bowls

Roast is typically a heavier meal, but with venison being so lean, it’s much lighter than beef. Serve it with plenty of vegetables for a balanced meal.

Taco Style Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers with Venison

I love these easy guys! An entire meal in a delicious and healthy bell pepper! So many veggies, and lean meat. If you looking for some Taco Tuesday inspo, check out my Ground Venison Tacos.

Instant pot stuffed peppers with venison and chipotle aioli on a while place with tomatoes and lettuce on top.

Garlic & Herb Venison Marinade Recipe – by MeatEater

I love simple marinades for large or tough cuts of venison. Everyone has garlic and herbs tucked in the fridge, so whip them out for this easy recipe.

Whole30/Paleo Venison Burgers with “Special Sauce”

Sweet potato buns, fresh veggies and healthy “special sauce” will make you love healthy burger night.

a venison burger with a bite out of it and sweet potato bun on a white small plate

Instant Pot Venison Roast

Roast is typically a heavier meal, but with venison being so lean, it’s much lighter than beef. Serve it with plenty of vegetables for a balanced meal.

Venison Stir Fry

Make this quick & healthy venison stir fry when you’re running short on time and you want something packed with lean protein and veggies. Just serve over rice and enjoy!

Grilled Venison Loin – by Hank Shaw

Learn how to grill venison well so that it’s juicy and tender. Since it’s so lean, it’s the perfect healthy thing to make outdoors on the grill.

Wholeo30/Paleo Venison Shepherd’s Pie

Venison Shepherd’s Pie combines tender venison, veggies, and mashed potatoes for a simple & impressive dinner.

Gluten-Free & Low Carb Venison Parmesean – by Texas Granola Girl

Lightened-up parmesan is the perfect healthier comfort food option. Made with homemade sauce and that melted mozzarella cheese, YUM, this one is always a hit!

Instant Pot Venison Stew

This rich and tender stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest.

Venison Burrito Bowls

These venison burrito bowls are loaded with beans, ground venison, homemade salsa, and all the toppings. This recipe deserves a spot in your rotation!

Smoked Venison Tenderloin

This Smoked Venison Tenderloin is marinated in a fresh, citrus marinade before spending time in the smoker. It’s tender, flavorful, smokey, juicy, and easy to do.

venison steak salad in a bowl with goat cheese, tomatoes, avocado and walnuts

Ultimate Venison Steak Salad

This is the ultimate venison steak salad recipe. It’s packed with tender deer meat, lots of leafy greens, tomatoes, avocado, walnuts, dried cherries, cheese and a super simple homemade balsamic dressing.

Venison Egg Roll In A Bowl

A healthy, fast, and flavorful way to use up ground deer meat for a light dinner or meal prep idea.

Venison Vegetable Soup

Throw everything in to a pot and simmer until tender, resulting in the most flavorful soup you’ll ever have.

Award Winning Venison Chili

Learn how to make award-winning venison chili with ground deer or elk meat you have in the freezer. Simple, flavorful, and well-balanced.

Bowl of venison chili with spoon in bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado and a side of corn bread

I can’t wait to hear which recipe you try first! If you’re looking for more ways to cook juicy, tender, and delicious venison, check out some of my favorite ground venison recipes. Don’t forget to grab a copy of my cookbook, Venison Every Day!

How to Cook a Juicy Venison Steak

It’s easy to cook a venison steak so that it’s juicy, you just need to follow a few rules. A good marinade, a hot grill or pan and not overcooking is key.

sliced venison steak on a black plate with a napkin

I remember the first time I had venison steak. Jared and I had just started dating and I invited him on a camping trip with my friends and I. Jared took a venison steak he defrosted out of the cooler and cooked it over the open fire. Up until that point, I had only had deer jerky a time of two, and I was really excited to try venison.

We’re still not sure exactly what he did to that steak, but it was absolutely PHENOMENAL. I think our entire group salivated over the perfectly medium-rare cut of meat and it was gone in a flash.

When J and I moved in together sometime later and he harvested another buck, I was excited to make some steak! I’ll never forget unwrapping defrosted venison directly out of butcher paper and putting it right on the grill pan in our apartment. I overcooked and probably under-seasoned the meat…needless to say, it was probably a pizza night, for sure.

venison steak on a black plate with thyme leaves

TIPS AND TRICKS TO THE BEST VENISON STEAK

Cooking really good venison steaks isn’t really hard, but it is quite different then cooking a beef steak, you need to keep a few things in mind:

marinate and/or properly season the meat
don’t overcook it
rest before serving

Those 3 steps seem really simple, but they make a world of difference.

Marinate your venison steak

It’s important to choose an acidic marinade with plenty of bright flavors from vinegar or citrus. My all-purpose marinade has plenty of red wine vinegar, lemon, and salt. You certainly don’t have to marinate venison steak but it helps if you’re learning. Follow this recipe when cooking venison chops without marinade.

These 3 ingredients not only work with the “gamey” flavor and tone it down, but they also tenderize the meat and help break down some of the tissue so that it’s buttery soft after you cook it. If you’re newer to eating venison/deer meat, I do recommend using a marinade because the flavor is different than the beefy flavor you may be expecting.

With venison steaks, I marinate for at least 3 hours, but up to overnight. I know that seems long, but it works great for me!

A note: If you’re working with really beautiful steaks from the loin/backstrap, you may not need a marinade if your meat is cooked appropriately. Or, if you’re familiar with the taste of deer, go ahead and skip this step if you’d like.

Simple salt and pepper go a long way. I like to season liberally before cooking and then I finish a rested steak with a light squeeze of lemon and flakey salt.

Counter Rest/Pat Dry Before Cooking

Another great tip is to let your meat come to room temperature on the counter for 30-45 minutes before cooking. This will not make your food go bad, it simply ensures more even cooking because the center won’t be cold when you cook to medium-rare (more on this below).

You also want to pat your steaks entirely dry with a paper towel before cooking them. I NEVER rinse my proteins, but I do pat them dry, even if I marinade, to encourage a nice, brown crust on the meat. Liquid causes steam in the pan which shoots you in the foot if you’re trying to create a sear. This tip applies to cooking most proteins.

Don’t overcook it

Venison steak should be cooked to medium-rare or even rare plus if you like a rare steak. I pull my steaks from the grill or pan as soon as they reach 117-125F – I prefer 117F. They still cook a bit after you remove them and I always use a digital read thermometer to make sure I’m really precise.

You honestly can’t overlook this step. I’m all about making things easy on you and laid-back recipes, but if you overcook your meat…you’re going to be sorry. This is a HARD and fast rule in my book.

I understand that not everyone likes rare/medium-rare meat but I encourage you to try. My medium steak kind of guy has been converted.

Rest before serving

Also…don’t cut into your meat right after it comes off the heat. As much as it does look amazing, allow it to rest so the juices have a chance to creep back into the meat for at least 10 minutes before serving.