Here’s a great idea for the barbie: a juicy, lightly spiced patty made from the UK’s most sustainable meat: venison. We predict love at first bite
Spiced venison burger
Makes 6 Hands-on time 50 min, plus cooling, chilling and resting
MAKE AHEAD Make the burgers up to 48 hours in advance. Keep them covered in the fridge and remove 1 hour before cooking to come up to room temperature.
You can freeze the patties in a sealed tub for up to 1 month.
KNOW-HOW Fresh suet is the crumbly fat from around the kidneys. You can buy the dehydrated, flour-added version (‘shredded’) in supermarkets but for this recipe you need fresh suet. As venison is a naturally lean meat (wild meat tends to have less fat because the animals lead active lives foraging for lower-energy foods), the suet gives the burgers succulence.
To help the cheese melt, cover the frying pan with a lid or baking tray.
• 60ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 2 tbsp red wine (optional)
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 800g venison mince (from good butchers or online suppliers, see opposite page)
• 250g fresh beef suet (from good butchers; see Know-how)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 30g pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan
• 2 peeled garlic cloves, blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes, refreshed in cold water, then finely chopped
• ¼ bunch thyme, leaves picked
• ¼ bunch oregano, leaves picked
• 1 tsp plain flour or rice flour
• 150g cheddar, sliced
• 6 soft burger buns, split and lightly toasted
To serve
• Dijon mustard
• Roughly torn iceberg lettuce
• Sliced tomato
• Tomato relish
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat, then add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring, for 20 minutes or until softened
