Venison Burger with Bacon and Pimiento Cheese
I’ll be taking the venison burger to the next level in this week’s episode of The Sporting Chef. The theme is All American Comfort Foods, and I’ll be making this juicy, flavor-rich burger with bacon and pimiento cheese.
A backyard burger is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. That’s why Scott Leysath and I are preparing these burger patties to grill outdoors!
Make it a venison burger with the right fixin’s — then add a pile of super-crunchy fries — and you have southern perfection.
In an earlier post, I shared some of my time-tested tips and tricks for preparing the ultimate venison burger. I encourage you to check out that post for general advice. You’ll learn how to make burgers that are juicy, tasty, and even healthy with the right balance of fats.
When it comes to toppings for a venison burger, the sky’s the limit. In one venison burger recipe, I use chipotle mayonnaise. For the Bobby Burger, Worcestershire and soy sauce add moistness and flavor.
In this recipe, though, we’re going for maximum comfort and incredible taste. As I explain in my earlier venison burger post, venison is a very lean meat. One key to a juicy burger is to add fat from either beef or pork. In this recipe, the optional chopped bacon fits the bill.
Pimiento or pimento cheese is a southern favorite that enhances so many different foods. You’ve probably seen pimientos stuffed into green olives, which is what this recipe calls for. In case you’ve never seen them fresh, pimientos are just little round red peppers with more sweetness than heat. In the produce section, your might also see them called cherry peppers.
Pimientos make this venison burger topping tangy, and mayo makes it extra creamy. The cheese spread is super easy to make, so this recipe include instructions for whipping it up from scratch. The olives chopped add extra flavor.
Don’t forget the double-fried french fries!
Bacon Pimiento Cheese Venison Burger
Ingredients
Pimiento Cheese Ingredients
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise Duke’s or Hellman’s
- 1 cup green olives with pimientos chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered onion
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Bunch of green onions sliced, for serving
- ½ pound of bacon cooked and chopped
- hot sauce optional
Burger Ingredients
- 3 pounds venison ground
- 1 pound bacon, cooked optional
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 6 hamburger buns
- 3 teaspoons butter for buns
Instructions
For the Pimiento Cheese
- In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise with a spatula. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Burger
- In a medium mixing bowl, add ground venison, bacon, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.
- Divide the venison into 6 portions. Shape each portion into 1-inch thick discs, pressing a small indentation int the middle of the meat patty. Set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet or griddle pan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of butter and allow to melt. Add the top and bottom of two buns cut side down in the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the buns are toasted. Remove them to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and buns until all the buns are toasted.
- Increase the heat to medium-high heat. Place two of the patties in the skillet and allow to cook, without moving, for about 5 minutes on the first side, then flip and allow to cook about 3 minutes more. Remove each burger onto the bottom bun. Repeat with the remaining 4 patties.
- Top each burger with two tablespoons of pimiento cheese and place the top bun over the top of the burger.
hey Stacy,
i made the venison, bacon, pimento cheese burgers but all my ground venison is a sausage I make with Legg’s #10 seasoning from Calera AL.
It is truly the bomb.
Thanks. Kirby from WV.
I’m so glad you liked it@!! Makes my day!