Elk Burgers

Love Handles

Anybody have any ideas for elk burgers. Do they need some fat added?--Thanks for your help--See-Yaa

randomegger

LoveHandles,
My father would always gas grill us elk burgers out in MT and, after slathering with lots of catsup and chewing a lot we would tell him how good they were.[p]I had often wondered how good they would be done correctly - on an egg! Based on my limited experience, I would say some kind of fat additive is neede but I have never grilled one myself to know for sure.[p]RE

BlueSmoke

LoveHandles,
Haven't had venison burgers since I was a boy - they sure remember good![p]Talk to your butcher and see if you can get some beef fat trimmings - I'd start with 85% elk, 15% ground beef fat (by weight). Don't know how you like your burgers, but long cooking times, IMHO, lead to tough venison: I'd do them super-hot and super-fast.[p]Ken

jrterrier

LoveHandles,[p]Elk is much like buffalo... and they do taste very similar to me... yumm! Both are low in fat (I personally would not add any more fat). The secret is to not overcook them. Plan on no more cooking than for med. rare or even rare, and they will be wonderful. If you use a really hot fire, you will sear the outside and the inside will be rare. If you try to get it more done on a hot fire, the outside will overcook, and be tough/dry/hard. [p]If you want it more done, go for a lower temperature, the outside will get brown, and the inside will cook more. A good quick sear, and flip it over. You also could do a quick sear and then add a drip pan to the grill and put a grid over the drip pan to place the elk on. Watch it closely because if you overcook it, the meat will dry out... way more rapidly than ground beef. Overcooking ruins all meat in my mind. [p]There is a buffalo farmer near us, and he has told me not to overcook buffalo. He stated low temps and a quick cook or it will be dry and tough. Makes sense as the meat has moisture in it, but not much fat. Water cooks out, fat does too, but not so much. You have to cook low and fast to keep the water content.[p]Seasoning? If you like the gamey flavor, keep it simple so you don't mask that flavor. If not, use anything you would use on beef.[p]Bonnie, who grew up on venison (deer), elk, salmon, clams, oysters (though I still don't much care for them), wild mushrooms, etc.