Venison SMASH Burger - HuntFishMB Recipes

As the winter months roll in, it's time to start digging into the freezer and utilizing your venison from the fall seasons hunting success.

For most hunters, there is always an abundance of venison burger packages to choose from in the freezer, and are always looking for new ways to experiment with it.

In this HuntFishMB Recipe video below, Josh McFaddin takes ground venison and adds a twist to a traditional venison burger recipe. This is called "The Venison SMASH Burger". Josh then tops the smash burger with whiskey caramelized onions, creating what is sure to be one of your new favorite ways to enjoy ground venison! The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the blog!

Venison SMASH Burger with Whiskey Caramelized Onions

  • 1 pound ground venison
  • Paprika
  • Salt + Pepper
  • Canola oil
  • Smoked gouda or extra old cheddar, sliced
  • Precooked bacon
  • Mayo
  • Grainy Mustard
  • Tomato, sliced
  • Pickle, sliced
  • Lettuce or Arugula
ground deer

Whiskey Caramelized Onions

  • 2 onions, halved and sliced thin
  • Canola Oil
  • Whiskey of choice
venison recipe

How to do it:

Whiskey Caramelized onions

  • Start by heating a pan on medium heat, cast iron works great.
  • Add an ounce or so of canola oil then toss in your thin onion slices. Cook them slowly, stirring every minute or two, until they start to turn a golden caramel colour. This will take a bit of time, so relax and enjoy the process.
  • Once they are brown, carefully add a shot of your favourite whiskey, stir around and very carefully light the onions with a lighter. Stand back and watch your eyebrows, making sure there is nothing combustible above your pan. You'll want to do this on one of the front burners.
  • Once the flames have died, your onions are done. Set them aside and start on your burgers!
caramelized onions

Smash Burger

deer burger
  • Put your ground venison in a bowl and add the pepper + paprika. Mix well by hand
  • Form into balls, about the size of a medium onion.
  • Heat your pan on medium/high heat. Place the balls of meat on the hot pan and smash them down with a spatula. You want things to be searing hot as you press the patty down to develop a beautiful crust.
venison recipe
  • Flip patties once cooked halfway up the sides and season the seared side of the patty.
  • Add a slice of cheese as the cook finishes on the second side.
  • Prep your bun with mustard, caramelized onions and add the patty on top.
  • Top the patty with a tomato slice, pickle, bacon, arugula, and hit the cap of the bun with some mayo.
Venison burger
To learn the cuts of a venison hindquarter, and how to debone them. Check out our How-to Process a Deer Hindquarter video
For more information on deer hunting in Manitoba, visit our Big Game Hunting page.
Celebrate the experience of hunting in Manitoba, submit your harvest to Manitoba’s Master Hunter Program.

*For More Information on Covid-19 social distancing measures, visit the Manitoba Government Covid-19 website.