If you live in Maryland, or most anywhere along the east coast of the United States, you have probably tasted or at least been offered venison. Meat from an animal that’s as active as a deer tends to be pretty lean. To balance the flavors in this dish we use a dab of leftover bacon fat to grease the griddle pan before cooking. Topped with bacon and homemade onion strings, these sliders cannot be beat!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground venison
- 2 jalapeno peppers, diced fine
- 1 tsp ancho chile pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 8 strips of bacon, cooked and set aside, reserving leftover drippings
- 8 King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
For the Onion Strings:
- 1 medium white onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
When preparing my sliders, I started by cooking 8 slices of bacon in a large frying pan. Cook until crispy and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess grease. Reserve drippings from the bacon pan and set aside.
While the bacon is cooking, begin preparing onion strings by slicing a medium-sized white onion into very thin rings.
Soak for 15-20 minutes.
Drain the liquid from the bow, sprinkle a little more cayenne pepper, and add flour. Gently toss to coat.
Remove from heat and place onion strings on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Now it’s time to make the sliders! Squeeze the venison from it’s packaging into a large bowl and gently break apart, crumbling the meat into small pieces.
Dice fine the two jalapeno peppers and add to the venison.
Mix gently until all ingredients are well combined. I recommend using gloved hands to mix.
For all eight patties, place a pea-sized (or smaller!) drop of leftover bacon fat on the HOT griddle and immediately place burger patty on top. Cook for 4-5 minutes on this side.
Flip the burgers when the first side is just charred. Cook this side for another 5-7 minutes or until desired doneness.
Enjoy!
Venison Sliders with Bacon & Onion Strings
Ingredients
For the Sliders
- 1 lb ground venison
- 2 jalapeno peppers diced fine
- 1 tsp ancho chile pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 8 strips of bacon cooked and set aside, reserving leftover drippings
- 8 King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
For the Onion Strings
- 1 medium white onion sliced thin
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- When preparing my sliders, I started by cooking 8 slices of bacon in a large frying pan. Cook until crispy and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess grease. Reserve drippings from the bacon pan and set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, begin preparing onion strings by slicing a medium-sized white onion into very thin rings.
- In a small bowl mix together milk, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, and salt. Add onion rings and gently stir until well-coated. Soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the liquid from the bow, sprinkle a little more cayenne pepper, and add flour. Gently toss to coat.
- In a medium-sized frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high. Once oil is hot, add onion and stir gently so unions do not stick together and oil is evenly distributed. Now let the onions cook on one side for 3-4 minutes, and flip once. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until both sides are golden brown.
- Remove from heat and place onion strings on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Now it's time to make the sliders! Squeeze the venison from it's packaging into a large bowl and gently break apart, crumbling the meat into small pieces.
- Dice fine the two jalapeno peppers and add to the venison.
- Add worcestershire sauce, sour cream, ancho chili pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently until all ingredients are well combined. I recommend using gloved hands to mix.
- Shape the meat mixture into 8 equally sized slider patties. I used a griddle pan to cook my burgers, which helps to quickly sear the outside edges and trap in juicy flavors! I've found that to avoid a 'UFO-shaped' burger, it helps to gently indent the center of each patty with your thumb before cooking.
- Pre-heat your pan or grilling surface to medium-high temperature - a couple drops of water should burn up immediately when the pan is hot enough!
- For all eight patties, place a pea-sized (or smaller!) drop of leftover bacon fat on the HOT griddle and immediately place burger patty on top. Cook for 4-5 minutes on this side.
- Flip the burgers when the first side is just charred. Cook this side for another 5-7 minutes or until desired doneness.
- While the burger finish cooking, prepare any cheese or other toppings for use.
- Once done, turn off heat to grill pan and flip each burger one more time. Place cheese on the newly face-up side and allow a minute or two for it to melt.
- Meanwhile, barbecue sauce or other toppings of your choice to the buns. Place onion strings on top of cheese, and bacon on top of the onions. Put it all together and sink your teeth into one truly flavorful burger!
