Recipe: Crunchy Cheese Hatch Chili Venison Burger

SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MIN | COOK TIME: 15 MIN

A couple weeks ago, I accidentally stumbled on something wildly addicting. I was making a venison burger with pieces of homemade bacon (integrated into the patty). Unfortunately, I only had grated cheese. Thus, the crunchy cheese hatch chili venison burger was born.

When adding the shredded cheese to the burger to melt it, a decent amount fell around the patties, ultimately curling up on the cast iron to die while the rest bubbled and melted. The result is something that tastes like a cheese cracker, bringing out a richness and decadence with a very cheap, humble, pre-grated, store-brand cheese blend.

Of course, I don’t always add fat to my grind, so I keep a decent amount of frozen bacon pieces on hand to integrate into a burger (and other dishes). It’s a different texture than a perfect burger blend, so it’s essential you don’t cook these over medium, or they’ll be hard. With a burger that has a decent amount of richness from cheese and caramelized onions, I like a sauce that can cut through it all.

Recipe: Fancy Venison Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes

This recipe leans on the infamous hatch chilies mixed into mayo with a little bit of chopped fresh herbs to brighten up and balance each bite. I bought what’s labeled as a “hot hatch chili.” However, if you’ve had the real deal from New Mexico (sorry Colorado), you know hot hatches are no joke. So, source the real ones if you can. In season, many grocers will roast them fresh, or even have them in the refrigerator section. If not, canned ones should do.

To get good crunchy cheese, do not move the burgers once the cheese is on them and in the pan. The key is to have a medium-ish heat that cooks the burger with some crunch but doesn’t burn the cheese. It’ll brown up (and even darken on the edges) but trust the process. My father always cooked burgers no more than 5 minutes total, and it’s a pretty good rule of thumb for “well done” if you get close to the 5-minute mark. Of course, use a meat thermometer if you have any doubts about temps, and pull those burgers in time. Then, enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. ground venison
• 4 oz. bacon
• Tablespoon kosher Salt
• Tablespoon garlic powder
• Tablespoon Black pepper
• Fresh herbs (optional)
• 8 oz. three-cheese blend (grated)
• 4 oz. (small can) chopped roasted hatch chilies
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ½ sweet yellow onion thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons lard
• 4 burger buns

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice onion thinly.
2. Chop bacon into tiny cubes.
3. Season venison with a tablespoon each of salt, garlic, and black pepper (burger seasoning).
4. Add bacon.
5. Make four even balls of meat, and create even patties to desired thickness.
6. Mix mayo with chilies, and add a bit of the burger seasoning mix to taste.
7. Chop fresh herbs (I used oregano buds, but dill would be amazing here) and add to sauce.
8. Heat up a pan big enough to cook four burgers in (cast iron or carbon steel is preferred). A griddle would also be ideal.
9. Melt a tablespoon of lard to cook onions in.
10. Add onions, season with a pinch of burger seasoning and cook until lightly browned.
11. Melt the remainder of the lard.
12. Add burger patties, flipping when you see the color change on the side of the patty.
13. Put the cooked onion on top and cover all the burgers with 8 oz. of grated cheese.
14. Let some of the cheese hit the pan (even up to half of it and you won’t regret it).
15. If possible, cover to let the cheese melt better.
16. Pull burgers at desired internal temperature.
17. Brown the buns while the burgers rest covered up (to keep warm).
18. Put patties on buns.
19. Layer on top crunchy bits.
20. Put a generous spoonful of sauce on top and serve extra sauce on the table with the burgers.

Once complete, enjoy your crunchy cheese hatch chili venison burger. It’s sure to be a staple in your kitchen.

Recipe: Venison Panzanella

MORE FIELD NOTES