Grinding Venison: How to Grind Your Own Elk and Deer Burger

Grinding venison (elk and deer meat) should be done close to the time the elk or venison burger is needed for the freshest flavor and highest quality meal results. If you have all of your ground venison packaged for you at the time your wild game is processed, you will sacrifice some quality, freshness and shelf life.

Solid pieces of meat last longer in the freezer and hold moisture and quality better than packaged ground elk or deer meat does. The same is true for any meat. Grinding simply allows maximum exposure of the meat to the air and microbes in the environment. Grinding venison speeds loss of moisture and shortens shelf life, all of which sacrifices quality (flavor and texture). So, it’s best to grind it as you need it. You’ll appreciate the improved quality of grinding venison burger yourself!

Both 575 watt grinders worked very well. Occasionally you have to clear the blades of white tissue, but that doesn't take long.

A more expensive model will make the job easier and faster, but is not necessary. We ground only about five or ten pounds of elk meat into elk burger at a time with those smaller grinders.

However, we found ourselves running out of ground venison too often. We started grinding only good cuts of meat, in order to avoid having to spend the time clearing the blade, so we ended up buying a bigger grinder. (See below)

Partly Frozen Meat is Easier to Handle

Do Some Trimming First

Bigger Grinder is Faster

Since grinding is normally a good use for some of the tougher, more gristly meats, we were not pleased with the "junk" being left on the bottom of the freezer every year. We broke down and bought a 3/4 horse power commercial-grade electric meat grinder, which retails for around $350-$450 as of this writing (2011).

It also pushes sausage out through the sausage tubes pretty effectively. We simply catch the links of sausage on plastic wrap, without using casings sometimes, when we want some sausage fast.

Of course, you can just make the sausage into patties. We find High Country Sausage Seasoning Kits make very flavorful sausage. (Learn how to make sausage at home the easy way here.)

Add Some Fat

Use An Inexpensive Patty Press

After you press each patty, wrap each one in plastic wrap separately. Then stack them all in plastic zip freezer bags. The plastic wrap will keep them from sticking together once they are frozen. When you want ground venison for a meal, you can just pull out the number of patties you need for elk burgers or for a ground venison recipe.

It's a Little Messy

Consider wearing medical gloves to keep from getting greasy hands when handling the suet. It makes cleanup quicker and easier and helps you keep grease off the faucet and freezer handles, phone, or whatever else you might want to touch during the process.

You'll Be Hooked On the Quality

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