Ultimate venison burgers

Ultimate venison burgers

Smoky caramelised onions team up with garlic-laced mushrooms to take these seriously tasty venison burgers to another level. And if you’ve never ‘smashed’ your patties before, get ready for your burger-loving mind to be blown.

Ultimate venison burgers

From bean to beef: check out all our mouthwatering burger recipes.

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 55 min

Smoky caramelised onions team up with garlic-laced mushrooms to take these seriously tasty venison burgers to another level. And if you’ve never ‘smashed’ your patties before, get ready for your burger-loving mind to be blown.

From bean to beef: check out all our mouthwatering burger recipes.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
579kcals
Fat
29.3g (9.4g saturated)
Protein
36.8g
Carbohydrates
39.6g (12.8g sugars)
Fibre
5g
Salt
1.4g

Ingredients

  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into 2cm slices
  • 20g salted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 500g venison mince
  • 4 sesame seed buns
  • 4 cheese slices (we prefer a nutty cheese like emmental or gouda)
  • 4 leaves crisp lettuce
  • 4-8 gherkin slices
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Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat, then add the onions with a good pinch of salt and cook for 30-35 minutes until deeply caramelised. Stir occasionally to prevent them from catching and add a splash of water if needed. Add the paprika and sugar and cook for another 5 minutes, until sticky.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan with a lid over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring very little, until browned and starting to release their liquid. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the butter and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Cover, take off the heat and set aside until everything else is ready. In a small bowl, stir together the hot sauce (if using), ketchup and mayonnaise, then season and set aside.
  3. Divide the venison mince into 4 even portions, roughly shaping them into balls. Heat a heavy-based or cast-iron frying pan over a medium-high heat for a few minutes until very hot, then toast the cut sides of the buns in the dry pan.
  4. Once the buns are toasted, set aside, and add the remaining ½ tbsp olive oil to the pan. Put the portions of mince into the pan (work in batches if needed) then smash flat with a spatula, so they’re about 10cm wide (you can use the end of a rolling pin or the handle of another utensil to add extra pressure to the spatula). Season well and leave to cook for about 2 minutes until the outer edges are brown and crisp. Flip the patties, season the other side and top with a slice of cheese. Cook for about 1 minute more until the cheese has melted.
  5. Spread the sauce mixture onto the cut sides of the buns (tops and bottoms). Divide the lettuce between the bottom buns, then top with the caramelised onions, a venison patty, the mushrooms and the gherkins. Add the bun lid and serve straightaway.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
579kcals
Fat
29.3g (9.4g saturated)
Protein
36.8g
Carbohydrates
39.6g (12.8g sugars)
Fibre
5g
Salt
1.4g

delicious. tips

  1. The patties in smash burgers don’t need to be pre-shaped as they are flattened once they’re in the pan. The shorter cook time helps keep the lean venison mince juicy and ensures a greater surface area for caramelisation – a win-win!

     

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

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