Easy Elk Burger Recipe

Summer grilling season is the perfect time to try this easy elk burger recipe. It uses just a few simple ingredients to enhance the natural wild game flavor. Put it on a soft brioche bun with a smear of good guac, and you have a delicious burger to write home about!

Easy elk burger recipe for the grill

Elk meat is very lean, and tends to fall apart on a grill, so I use eggs as a binding agent to hold the wild game together on the grill. You can omit the egg, and it will still be a great elk burger, but just be very careful when you flip the burgers or they make break apart. 

You can also add some beef or pork fat when grinding your elk meat, to keep it juicy and help hold it together. I don't always add extra fat, so our burgers are very lean. Egg also adds some extra fat (from the yolk) to add richness to the wild game.

How to prepare the burger patties

Place the ground elk meat, beaten eggs, and seasonings into a large bowl and mix with your hands. The key here is to mix very gently, because over-mixing may result in tough burgers.

For this reason, I like to break the meat apart in the bowl to create more surface area, then sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the meat. This way, I don't have to mix as much to get the meat evenly seasoned.

Then, just place the burgers on a preheated grill, let them cook for about 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for the same amount of time or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees. 

Let them rest for 1-3 minutes, then serve on buns with toppings of your choice. 

Try these other wild game recipes: 
Easy Venison Breakfast Sausage
Elk Meatloaf
Venison Meatballs with homemade BBQ sauce

and this post:
Cooking Wild Game tips