Venison burger

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rod g15

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Feb 27, 2013
108
14
Alta Vista, Iowa
So this year I'm going to grind most of my deer meat and use it for burger. I've not done this before. Should I blend it with beef tallow, or fatty pork trim I have from butchering a hog? What ratio?
 
So this year I'm going to grind most of my deer meat and use it for burger. I've not done this before. Should I blend it with beef tallow, or fatty pork trim I have from butchering a hog? What ratio?

Most of my deer are done in pure 100% venison grind so I have some great 1st hand experience and recommendations to share with you. Plus I usually take 4-7 deer a year pre-pandemic. I take "meat" deer off MLD regulated properties so we use their tags not my mine, hence getting so many deer.

I recommend you don't mix any fat and go 100% pure venison grind.
This allows you to do ground meat jerky, make taco meat, brown for spaghetti, etc.

Now you can go 100% venison for burgers, I do it and have no issues BUT some may want some fat in there which I don't blame them.
In this case if you have some pure ground beef fat (I get mine from brisket fat trimmings) then you can always mix some into your pure venison grind when you decide to make burgers.
I suggest going 80/20 meat/fat. That would be 4 pounds pure ground venison 1 pound ground beef fat.

Ok lets say you want to make sausage.
In this case I suggest you add PORK backfat. Again 80/20 meat/fat. So 4 lbs pure venison grind and 1 pound of pure pork fat. Scale up.


So to recap. If you go 100% pure ground venison you can easily go any route you like:
  • Jerky add no fat
  • Tacos, spaghetti, browned meat, add no fat
  • Burgers, add no fat or add ground beef fat to go 80/20
  • Sausages add ground pork fat to go 80/20
I once heard it said "happiness means having options". It sounded odd but when I really thought about it and applied it, I'll be damned if it wasn't a 100% true statement in my experience.
Going pure 100% venison grind = having options = happiness :D

I hope this info helps :)
 
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I use beef fat and mix 85% venison and 15% fat. I also grind some 100% venison for use in things I don't want any fat in like spaghetti, chili, and such
 
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I mix ground beef with ground venison, I dont like the taste of straight venison.
 
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I usually do 80/20 pork so not quite so dry. I normally trim all the deer fat though ( which I should start leaving some ).
 
You're gonna have to try some of these ratios to see what you like. We grind our venison with 15% beef tallow... get from a local locker. Why? Because that's what we like...and use it in everything without hardly ever draining any grease off. But to make burgers we usually just buy a bit of fattier hamburger and mix the two by hand. Now that being said we save all loins and any roasts that don't get ground. Those are saved for making jerky or cooking by themselves.

Ryan
 
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Use to do venison/pork with about 20% fat in the mix. 3 years ago, started using beef rump roast and brisket fat. 40% venison, 40% beef lean, 20% beef brisket fat. Like it much better. Hope to do about 100# of deer/beef grind this season. Check with your local grocer butcher, he might just save some chuck/brisket/ribeye trim fat for you for a great price. The butchers throw a lot of that fat away.
 
Brisket or pork butt trimmings at 80/20. I love the brisket fat and makes the best burgers.
 
I grind 50+ pounds every year, I do a 70/75% venison to 30/25% pork butt. Always tasty ,sticks together well for burgers etc and no grease to drain when frying in a pan.
 
Most of my deer are done in pure 100% venison grind so I have some great 1st hand experience and recommendations to share with you. Plus I usually take 4-7 deer a year pre-pandemic. I take "meat" deer off MLD regulated properties so we use their tags not my mine, hence getting so many deer.

I recommend you don't mix any fat and go 100% pure venison grind.
This allows you to do ground meat jerky, make taco meat, brown for spaghetti, etc.

Now you can go 100% venison for burgers, I do it and have no issues BUT some may want some fat in there which I don't blame them.
In this case if you have some pure ground beef fat (I get mine from brisket fat trimmings) then you can always mix some into your pure venison grind when you decide to make burgers.
I suggest going 80/20 meat/fat. That would be 4 pounds pure ground venison 1 pound ground beef fat.

Ok lets say you want to make sausage.
In this case I suggest you add PORK backfat. Again 80/20 meat/fat. So 4 lbs pure venison grind and 1 pound of pure pork fat. Scale up.


So to recap. If you go 100% pure ground venison you can easily go any route you like:
  • Jerky add no fat
  • Tacos, spaghetti, browned meat, add no fat
  • Burgers, add no fat or add ground beef fat to go 80/20
  • Sausages add ground pork fat to go 80/20
I once heard it said "happiness means having options". It sounded odd but when I really thought about it and applied it, I'll be damned if it wasn't a 100% true statement in my experience.
Going pure 100% venison grind = having options = happiness :D

I hope this info helps :)
Thank you. Good ideas.
 
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