If you enjoy elk and are looking for a great elk burger recipe, you’re in luck. Working with game meat can be a little intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Game meat is high in protein and can yield delicious flavor when you use the right preparation methods. There are a few ways that you can make elk meat juicy, tender and flavorful. All you’ll need is a few simple ingredients and techniques to make elk burgers or sliders that will impress your friends and family.
Incorporate Seasonings
Elk burgers taste great when you add spicy and savory seasonings to the meat. Season the meat with basic flavorings like salt and pepper or you can add a little onion powder and garlic powder to bring out the flavor of the meat. A seasoning that contains vinegar will help to tenderize the meat, so Worcestershire sauce is ideal for your elk burger recipe and will give the meat a smoky flavor.
Add Fat and Cook Properly
If you want a juicy burger, you should add a fat like butter to the meat. Folding small pieces of butter into the meat when you’re making your burgers is the
best way to improve the taste of the elk and take away the game-y texture. The butter also adds great flavor. It’s best to use cold butter and grate it into the meat so you can easily distribute it. Remember that since elk is naturally low in fat, you shouldn’t cook the meat for too long, even though you’ve added butter. Cooking for long periods makes the elk tough, which is easy to do since elk is a game meat. Cook the meat at about 145F, which is medium. However, if you prefer rare burgers, you can cook them just under 140F. The meat will still cook a little after you turn the heat off, so keep this in mind when you’re preparing the burgers to your desired tenderness.
Finish the burgers with pepper jack cheese and a spicy mayo to complement the burger flavors.
To find quality ground elk meat and other wild game and exotic meats that you can use for your next burger recipe, visit the Butcher Shop to get the ingredients you need for dinner or your next get-together.