As July's food item I've never tried, Elk nominated itself by being present at a farmer's market I attended during 4th of July weekend. It sounded delicious and was only $10 a package from a local rancher, so I couldn't resist. It was ground elk, so I'm sure I could have tried elk meatloaf or elk chili, but I had a hankerin for a good, juicy burger, so there you go. If you can't or don't want anything so fancy as elk, ground anything works for this plain ol classic burger recipe.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground elk (any meat)
4 tbsp seasoning of choice: I used Weber's burger seasonings that include onion, black pepper, garlic, etc.
Buns
Burger toppings
Step 1: Divide ground elk into 4 even patties of about 1/4 pound each. Mix 1 tbsp seasoning into each and mix well. Shape into patties with your hands, or a press if you're fancy enough to have one.
Step 2: If you're lucky enough to have a grill, light that bad boy and cook em that way. If you do not, a regular frying pan works as well. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, then flip. They'll be nicely browned and sizzling. Cook the other side another 5-7 minutes. We like some pink inside so it took about 15 min total.
Step 3: Add your toppings. I love avocado but none was available. But we had the classics, so my elk burger included: sliced American cheese, lettuce, tomato, & ketchup.
My boyfriend the carnivore ("meat man") had a double, and declared it one of the best burgers he's ever had. Since I'd say that number is probably in the hundreds, I consider it a great compliment. Elk is salty and tender and delicious. It's like beef, but different. Just try it sometime, and if you like beef I bet you'll like this even better.
What's your favorite burger?
Labels: burgers, cheese, comfort food, easy, elk, elk burger, hearty, homemade, picnic, uncommon meats
