Deer meat this yr.

[ShadeTree]

I always cut my own deer up after letting them hang in a cooler somewhere between 1-2 wks. Did the same this yr. This yr on the meat that I use for hamburg, instead of grinding it all with 15% beef fat and letting it all loose in 1 lb packs, I did half that way and the other half I took to the local butcher shop unground, and had them grind in 30% bacon ends and make it all into patties.

Hot dang that makes for some good deer burgers. Doesn't really taste like bacon per say, but there is a constant light smokey flavor in the background of the taste and they stay good and juicy but are not greasy. You would have to cook them very well done to dry them out. I wouldn't go running out and do your whole batch that way before you've tried it, but if you have a local butcher shop get them to fix up 20 lbs or so that way, I think you would like them!

 

[DrMike]

Well, I'd guess that makes for some delightful burgers. Couldn't do much better than bacon ends. I haven't tried that, but you can be certain that you've put a thought in the back of my mind.

 

[JD338]

That sounds good. I've got a big doe hanging that I was going to make into salami. Might have some bacon end burgers.

JD338

 

[cloverleaf]

Dont see how you could go wrong with that! CL

 

[Nannyhammer]

That mix also makes a killer meat loaf......

 

[wvbuckbuster]

This sounds good. A friend uses pork butt mixed about 30 percent to his deer burger. Tried it the other day and it made very good burgers. Dan.

 

[ShadeTree]

I have a buddy that mixes his similar but he uses the old style country cured bacons........heavy on the salt, heavy on the smoke. He gave me a couple to try. Everybody's tastes are different, but my wife and I both much prefer the way I had these ground up with 30% regular bacon ends.

The burgers he gave me have a dominate strong smokey flavor. that overpowers any other taste. Okay I guess for a one off burger to eat now and then for something different, but I wouldn't want them regular.

My wife and I both like deer meat quite a bit. I'm not looking for something to mask the deer meat burgers, only to make them better if possible. For me and my tastes that 30% of regular bacon ground in is about right for flavor and the right amount of grease. Some people maybe would prefer a less percentage, some maybe a little more.