Deer Processing Question

[blazer]

This year I am planning on doing all of my own butchering/grinding.  Does anyone have any recommendations on what to mix in when I grind my burger.  The processor I used to use cut my burger with ground pork, but a friend of mine told me that pork doesn't have the shelf life that ground beef has.  This was the first I had heard of this, does anyone have any suggestions on what to mix in.  Thanks in advance.

blazer

[Iceberg]

I don't mix anything with my burger, I keep it all deer meat. When I make my sausages, then I mix in either pork or beef. My friends all use beef in their burger. but I don't know  the ratio of deer to beef they use. I'll ask tonight when I see them

[Spinach]

If I could find my old receipts from my butcher in Minneapolis I'd know for sure. He cuts mine with Beef and I think it is 20% but I'll double check.

[labs4me]

Straight burger... go 20-25% beef.

Spiced up burger... try Jimmy Dean pork sauage, a tube to every 4-5lbs venison

For patties I grind 1lb double smoke bacon to 4 lbs venison.  Once through the coarse plate.  Then send it through a second time and grind in one medium onion that's been cut into 4-6 pieces (add a piece every 1/2 - 3/4 pound or so.  Then to the ground burger add 1/2 - 1  pack of lipton onion soup mix and some garlic powder.  Mix well, shape into patties (I use a 1/4 patty press) seperate with wax paper and freeze 4 to a package.  Incredible on the grill!

On all my venison that I use for burger, I make sure to thourghly rinse it in cold water to get as much blood as possible off.  Blood adds a really strong flavor.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Wack n Stack]

I am with Ice Berg.

Try a little 100% deer meat. It is the best. Why ruin it?

[WoodChuck]

 :) deer burger is just that! if you want sausage, try 25 lbs of venison, 3.5lbs pork and 5lbs of beef to one package of superone foods sausage mix. it takes i quart of water pluse their seasoning for a total of 35lbs of product. vary tasty for breakfast or stuffed into links or smoked for brats. to get their good seasoning you have to ask the meat cutter for their own mix as they dont set it out in the isle.?

[Iceberg]

My buddies say the age of the deer determines how much beef they add, if it is a young deer they add maybe 20% if it is an older deer they add up to 50%  Didn't explain why, they just said that is the  way they have been doing it for years.

Best way to find out how YOU like it, is to try different percentages.

Good luck,

[Bufflehead]

 What I like to do, if a person can find any, tough anymore with this health kick everybodies on and the beef loin's comming trimmed with little or no fat on them. I like to get beef fat from the loin ONLY!

 This is the best flavored fat you can get to mix with your deer burger. Think about the flavor of the nice piece of fat on your Prime rib you paid $22.00 for...ya that stuff that tastes so good

 Fat is where the flavor, moisture and tenderness of your meat comes from

 Thats the flavor your adding to your deer burger..Mmmmmm good stuff.

 I also add pork and or beef but only to my sausage.

 You want enough fat so the burger is moist and fries up in a pan without burning up and being dry

[WoodChuck]

 ??? sounds like bufflehead has a good point on the taste of fat from a good beef roast.