Fancy Game Burgers

[Dean Torges]

This works with any game grind (elk, moose, venison, buffalo) to which no fat or domestic meat has been added. It's essence is my mother's recipe.

Put approx. 1 lb. frozen pkg. of grind in fridge day before meal to thaw. Add 1 heaping TB powdered buttermilk to one egg and mix together with table fork. Add sufficient amount of bread crumbs (seasoned if you wish--I don't) to make a solid wet mixture and then work it thoroughly into venison grind. While you allow meat mixture to come to room temp, chop up an onion, a green pepper and fresh garlic in proportions that please you and saute them in small amount of butter/virgin olive oil.

Mix everything together and form into burgers. On each side, sprinkle salt and fresh ground black pepper and follow with a drizzle or spray of olive oil. Rub each side lightly to fix oil and seasonings.

I like straight game burger on the rare side, but this is very good cooked through, moist and tender. You can either form these thick and put them on the kettle grill, in which case they require very little monitoring with the bottom vents closed, or fry thinner patties in a preheated iron skillet over med. heat. When pan frying, sometimes I stir in a can of mushroom soup at the end for a quick and easy gravy.

 

[RandyJ]

Dean,
Thanks, this sounds good. With the price of beef the way it is, I plan on stocking up the freezer with venison. I haven't hunted the last couple of years and really miss the venison.

rj

 

[Dean Torges]

Powdered buttermilk is available at health food stores. You can also use powdered milk, but the granular type is not as good as the powdered type, or so I read somewhere and can't remember why. FUnctions as a binder to the meat proteins in retention of moisture. A sprinkle of soy protein concentrate also creates the same results, and is available from sausage making supply houses, and is cheaper to purchase. I have a friend who routinely sprinkles soy protein concentrate through his grind prior to packaging and freezing it, again, for moisture retention. Essentially the same stuff found in Hamburger Helper, and there for the same reason. Nothing to fear from it. It is very high in protein and is a natural soybean derivative.

Good luck filling the freezer.

 

[Randy Parr]

Should be no reason to run to the health food store...powdered buttermilk is available in most of the large grocery chains in the baking section.
A health food store will probably offer more than one type, and probably organic versions, as I have only seen one brand in my grocer.

 

[Dean Torges]

Shows you how much I pay attention to the baking dept. of the grocery store. I assumed this was an obscure item because I never see it in any of the sausage supply catalogues. Thanks, Gal.

$3.69 for 12 oz. bag at grocery store. $4.29 for 14 oz. at health food store. I woulda figured the specialty store would charge much more. Same price.