Simple Grilled Venison Burgers

Oh my stars.  It is a very good thing that you are behind your computer/iPad/iPhone device and not sitting next to me as I type this because I would embarrass my self my drooling in front of you.  Buuuuuurgeeeeeers are gooooooooood.

A good friend of mine back in IL shared some venison with me late last winter and I had a fantastic time working it into my meal plans.  I ate plenty of venison growing up in MN but it wasn’t easy to come by in the middle of farm country.  So we thoroughly enjoyed (and devoured) venison steaks, chops, and ground venison.  We grilled everything.  And it was good.  Mouthwateringly good.  I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do with the ground venison, and then when winter ended, my affinity for burgers hit full force.  Spring had arrived and as my overwhelming love of burgers fresh off the grill was sitting just below the surface during the snowy months, I was ready once April hit.

I have made venison burgers many times but never really kept track of what I put in them.  Results varied so I figured I should actually pay attention and write it down this time in an effort to yield consistent results.  It took a few tries (bummer) and we had to make venison burgers several times (shoot) and we had to be sure to try each of them loaded with ripe tomatoes, melted cheese, and fresh bakery buns (darn).  It was tough.

But now, thank goodness, I have my master recipe.  The fact that I have been a South Carolinian for exact four weeks has made me start to wonder if they hunt deer down here and if so, who can I make friends with ASAP so as to procure my venison supply for the foreseeable future!  I will pay you in Double Chocolate Banana Bread and Spiced Peach Jam!  Any takers?
Two Years Ago: The Ultimate Snickerdoodle Recipe & Sour Cream Cherry Bars
Three Years Ago: Sweet & Tangy Ribs & Cobb Potato Salad

Simple Grilled Venison Burgers 
Recipe adapted from Leite’s Culinaria
If you are unsure about the taste of venison, these burgers are a wonderful way to try it out.  The gamey taste is limited but you still get the wonderful flavor of the meat.  Venison is usually quite lean so in order to make sure these burgers aren’t too dry, the egg yolks and olive oil give it a bit of help.  If you are one of those lovely people who save their drippings when frying bacon, a big ‘ol spoonful of that would be stellar in here.  Just be sure to be careful with how much additional salt you are adding.

1 lb ground venison
2 egg yolks
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T worcestershire sauce
fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

Gently combine all ingredients in a large bowl with a fork.  You don’t want to overwork the meat too much or it will give you very tough burgers.  Shape into four large patties and grill over medium high heat until medium well, about 3 minutes on each side depending on thickness and the heat of your grill.  These are absolutely perfect topped with a slice of colby jack cheese and fresh tomatoes. *drool drool drool*