Over the whole gourmet burger thing? Nope, us neither. There’s no better way to celebrate a Friday night than by staying in, cracking open a local beer and cooking up a craft burger that rivals your favorite gastropub.
We’re loving this recipe, which swaps out ground beef with ground venison (use local, if you’ve got it), then adds in a bit of pork, as you don’t want your burger too lean. Shallots, baby portobello mushrooms and melted Gouda add layer upon layer of umami and a pretzel bun adds a bit of fun , and is sturdy enough to soak up all the delicious juices.
Venison Burger with Mushrooms and Gouda
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 4 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 15 min | 20 min |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for cooking burgers
- 1 1/2 pounds ground venison
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for cooking burgers
- 4 ounces Gouda, shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
- 4 pretzel buns (regular burger buns are fine, too)
Method
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots, cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add in mushrooms and garlic, cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes until mushrooms soften. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, while burgers cook.
- In a medium bowl, gently combine venison, pork, Worcestershire sauce, remaining salt and pepper until just combined. Form into four equal-sized flat burger patties, slightly wider than buns, and gently push the centers down to help keep their shapes. Season top side of each burger with additional salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add burgers, salted-side-down, working in batches. Season other side with salt and pepper. Let cook, untouched, for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of each cooked burger and cover pan with lid until cheese melts, 1-2 minutes.
- Serve each burger on a pretzel bun with fresh spinach and mushroom and shallot mixture.
- Photo, GIF and recipe: Dish Works
