How to Grind Venison with Beef Fat A Detailed Guide for the Best Burger Meat
Grinding your own venison at home is one of the most rewarding parts of being a hunter. With a meat grinder and a bit of know-how, you can transform your deer harvest into delicious burgers, sausages, meatballs, ravioli fillings, and so much more.
One of the keys to getting the best texture and flavor from your ground venison is mixing in some beef fat. The fat adds moisture and a rich, beefy taste to complement the lean venison. Follow this detailed guide to learn everything you need to know about grinding venison with beef fat for mouthwatering homemade burgers and other recipes.
Why Grind Venison with Beef Fat
Venison is much leaner than beef from domestic cattle. Deer get a lot more exercise living in the wild, so their meat contains very little marbling and fat. This makes venison great for health-conscious eaters, but it also means it can dry out easily during cooking.
Adding beef fat when you grind venison helps moisten the lean meat so your burgers come out tender and juicy on the grill. The beef fat also binds the ground meat together better so you get a nice firm patty that doesn’t crumble apart.
Flavor-wise, beef fat gives your venison burgers a signature beefy taste. It adds a richness and depth of flavor that allows the unique gaminess of the venison to shine through.
How Much Fat to Add
Most experts recommend mixing 15-20% beef fat into your ground venison. This mimics the fat content of store-bought 80/20 ground beef.
For example, if you are grinding 5 pounds of venison meat, you would want to add:
- 15% – 0.75 pounds of beef fat
- 20% – 1 pound of beef fat
You can tweak the ratio based on your tastes and what you’re using the meat for. Here are some guidelines:
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15% fat – Great all-purpose venison burger mix. Also good for chili, tacos, etc.
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20% fat – Ideal fat ratio for juicy grilled burgers and meatloaf.
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25%+ fat – Best for sausage making. Helps bind and add moisture.
Where to Get Beef Fat
You can ask your local butcher shop for beef fat trimmings, sometimes called beef suet. Let them know you’ll be using it to grind with venison. Trimmings often cost $1-2 per pound.
Grocery stores may have fat trimmings as well, but the selection is usually more limited. Your best bet is a full-service butcher counter.
You can also save fat drippings from cooking ground beef at home and chill them to use later for grinding venison. Hard beef fatback makes a nice addition too.
How to Grind Venison Step-By-Step
Follow these simple steps for grinding perfect venison burgers:
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Cut the venison and beef fat into 1-2 inch cubes. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid.
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Assemble your meat grinder with a medium sized die. Chill the grinder blades/plates in the freezer as well.
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Load the venison and beef fat cubes into the grinder in alternating layers.
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Grind all the meat and fat through on a medium setting.
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Mix the ground meat together in a bowl and grind everything through a second time.
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Form into patties or store in bags to freeze.
Tips for Grinding Venison
Here are some top tips to get the best results when grinding your venison:
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Keep everything cold – Meat grinds best when semi-frozen. Cold temperatures prevent sinew from gumming up the grinder.
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Trim silver skin/sinew – Remove all silver skin and sinewy tissue before grinding to prevent clogs.
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Cut small cubes – Meat cubes should be 1-2 inches max. Smaller pieces grind easier.
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Take it slow – Don’t rush the grinding process. Go slowly to avoid clogs.
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Sharp blades – Make sure grinder blades are sharp for clean, efficient grinding.
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Mix it up – Mix meat between grinds to evenly distribute fat.
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Fresh is best – Grind meat just before eating for optimum flavor and texture.
Bonus Flavor Additions
In addition to beef fat, you can mix in other ingredients when grinding to add flavor and moisture to your venison:
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Pork fatback – Adds moisture with a milder flavor than beef.
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Bacon ends – Infuses burgers with smoky bacon flavor.
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Butter – Blended into the meat, butter keeps burgers tender and juicy.
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Onions – Finely mince an onion and mix in when grinding.
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Garlic – Like onion, garlic boosts flavor and aroma.
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Cheese – Add shredded cheese like cheddar for juicy cheeseburgers.
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Spices – Mix in Worcestershire, soy sauce, barbecue dry rub – get creative!
How to Store Ground Venison
Freshly ground venison has the best texture and flavor. If possible, it’s ideal to grind meat just before cooking. Here are some storage guidelines:
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Fridge (40°F) – Ground venison keeps for 2-3 days max.
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Freezer (0°F) – Properly sealed, frozen ground venison lasts 6 months.
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Vacuum sealed – Extends fridge life 1-2 weeks and freezer life 1-2 years.
To freeze: Form ground meat into patties or 1 pound portions. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freezer bags, squeezing out all air. Label with weight and date.
Thaw frozen venison overnight in the fridge before cooking for best results.
Delicious Venison Burger Recipes
Mixing venison with beef fat opens up so many possibilities in the kitchen. Try out these amazing recipes:
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Classic Venison Burgers – The ultimate grilled backyard burger.
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Venison Chili – Rich, meaty chili perfect for cold days.
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Bolognese Sauce – Toss with pasta for a gamey twist.
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Venison Meatballs – Serve with spaghetti for a satisfying meal.
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Stuffed Peppers – Fill peppers with venison rice mixture for a tasty side.
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Venison Sausage – Grind into breakfast links or Italian sausages.
The Final Take
Taking the time to properly grind your venison with around 15-20% added beef fat results in the most delicious, juicy homemade burgers and so much more. Follow the tips in this guide for optimal flavor and texture. Mix in extra ingredients to spice up your recipes. And most importantly, have fun experimenting with different venison grind variations to discover your new favorite wild game dish.
This is just another suggestion on how to grind up your deer meat this season if you process it yourself.
I know that everyone has a personal preference, a tradition that they were raised with and of course a palate that is unique to each individual.
We like to reference our burger by A or B grinds as well as Single verses Double grinds. We also label our ground burger based on what section it came from on the animal: front quarter, back quarter, neck and rib meat…etc. This allows us to have more flexibility when cooking so each pound of ground is just a little different in flavor and texture.
I utilize all edibles from every harvest when I can. We separate, wash and dry each cut. We package the steaks, roasts, backstraps and tenderloins first. Then we grind.
I use a ratio of 10/90 or 10% beef fat to 90% venison. Be sure to use a scale when portioning the fat to the meat. You can always add more if needed, but of course cannot remove if you’ve added too much. Also, be sure to grind your fat first before grinding with your game meat. You’ll find that the fat is more evenly distributed.
And just a quick note, don’t overlook the neck meat. Yes, it’s lean and when ground can tend to have a consistency of ground chicken or pork, but boy-o-boy is it flavorful. If you have the time, utilize every piece down to the windpipe. You’ll yield more in your freezer and it’s truly delicious when used in tacos, enchiladas, meatloaf or simply browned and served with gravy and mashed potatoes.
Learn how to properly prepare venison for the grinder and other tips on grinding your own wild game.
Freshly-ground venison tastes best and you can make your own at home by following these whitetail deer grinding tips. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
For whitetail deer hunters, grinding venison is one of the best and easiest ways to utilize this wild game meat. You don’t have to worry about overcooking ground meat, and you don’t have to wait hours for a slow cooker to do its magic.
For treatments such as steaks and roasts, does and young bucks are often preferable. But for the trophy hunter, grinding older, tougher whitetail bucks is probably the best way to eat it. I personally am not a trophy hunter, but I do get a lot of meat “donations” from friends who are. I’ve found that while old whitetails don’t make the best steak dinner, they do make delicious, flavorful ground meat.
Here is what you need to do for the best ground venison. Advertisement
Grinding Deer Meat with the Right Fat Ratio for Burgers
FAQ
What fat is best for grinding venison?
Pork fat trimmings is one of the cheapest and purest ways to add fat to venison, if you can find it. Most pork at the grocery store is usually well-trimmed, but if you find an extra fatty shoulder, trim off that fat, freeze it and save it for your venison.
What is the best thing to grind venison with?
Pork fat or lard, unlike beef fat, goes down smoothly in a grinder and doesn’t leave a weird greasy residue in your mouth. By grinding your venison together with pork fat, it turns the lean and gamey meat into a finely marbled patty. Even looking at it raw, very few will be able to tell it isn’t a beef burger.