Cooking ground venison is like cooking ground beef.
Venison and ground beef are very similar. The only difference is taste and fat content. As a general rule of thumb, venison is leaner than beef. Because all the other characteristics are similar, the cooking methods are similar as well. You can saute, grill or roast venison burgers in the oven. Because it is wild game, however, it's best to cook venison to well done. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Pan Fry
Obtain a skillet, and pan fry the burgers the same as you would hamburger. Slice up an onion and saute it along with the venison patties. Because the meat is very lean, some cooks recommend rubbing the pan with butter. You can use a little olive oil or other good vegetable oil. Do not use canola oil, since this oil burns easily, leaving a "fishy" taste. Use seasoning, such as salt, pepper and garlic to taste. If you prefer, make a mix of half venison and half ground beef to obtain a beefy taste from the patties.
Grilling
You can grill the patties on a barbecue, the same as hamburger patties. Because venison is very lean, it may crumble easily, so pack the meat extra tight. Add seasonings to taste, and cook to well done. If you're using charcoal, wait until the coals turn gray and spread out them out evenly so no hot or cold spots exist.
Roasting
Lightly grease or oil a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan. Place the burgers on the sheet, season to taste and cook to well done. Set the oven at 325 and cook for about 10 minutes. Obtain a meat thermometer, and test the internal temperature. Cooks at the Recipe Exchange recommend an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit for well done venison.
Venison "Sloppy Joes"
Instead of using ground beef, use ground venison when making "sloppy joes." Crumble and pan fry the venison, much as you would beef. Add in the tomato based sauce, and serve on hamburger buns.
Tags: ground beef, well done, cook well, cook well done, ground venison, internal temperature