Best Fat to Mix With Deer Meat for Burgers

Pick Your Fat Source, Or Your Burgers Will Be Dry

The best fat to mix with deer meat for burgers is beef tallow or fatty beef trim, and I like a 85/15 final mix for most folks.

If you want the easiest option that still tastes right, use 80/20 ground chuck and blend it 50/50 with lean venison.

I have processed my own deer in my garage for years, the way my uncle taught me when he was cutting meat for a living.

I learned the hard way that “all-venison burgers” sound tough, taste dry, and make new hunters think venison is bad.

Decide Your Goal First, Because Fat Choice Changes The Whole Burger

You need to make one call before you grind anything.

Do you want “burger joint” taste, or do you want “clean venison” taste with just enough fat to hold it together.

Here is what I do for my family of four, including two kids that will absolutely call me out if it is dry.

I run three mixes depending on the deer and the season.

For weeknight burgers, I aim for 85/15 final fat.

For smash burgers on a hot griddle, I go closer to 80/20.

For chili and spaghetti, I stay lean, like 90/10, because I am not chasing a juicy patty.

When I am deciding how much fat I can add, I think about what I wrote on how much meat you get from a deer because trim piles add up fast.

Beef Tallow Vs Pork Fatback Is A Real Tradeoff

Guys argue about this like broadheads.

My buddy swears by pork fatback because it is cheap and it grinds easy, but I have found beef fat tastes more “burger” and less “sausage.”

If I am making burgers, I want beef fat most of the time.

If I am making breakfast patties or brat-style mixes, pork fat makes sense.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I shot my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, on a cold-front morning sit.

I mixed that buck with beef tallow, and those burgers tasted like a steakhouse on a paper plate.

My Favorite Mix: Venison Plus Beef Tallow At 85/15

This is my “don’t overthink it” answer.

Beef tallow has a clean beef flavor and it holds moisture without turning the burger into meatloaf.

Here is what I do in the garage.

I cube venison and tallow into 1-inch chunks and put them in the freezer for 35 minutes until they feel stiff but not frozen solid.

Then I grind through a coarse plate once, mix by hand fast, and grind a second time if I want tighter texture.

I learned the hard way that warm fat smears, and smeared fat makes a pasty burger that cooks weird.

If you want a simple place to start, shoot for 15% tallow by weight.

That is 1.5 pounds of tallow for every 8.5 pounds of venison.

If the deer is a young doe and the meat is already tender, I sometimes drop to 10%.

When I am teaching a new hunter, I connect this to what I wrote about how smart deer are, because the hard part is killing one, and the next hard part is not wasting it with a dry grind.

Easy Button: Mix Venison With 80/20 Ground Chuck

If you do not have tallow or a good butcher hookup, ground chuck is the simplest fat source.

I like 50/50 venison to 80/20 chuck for burgers that stay juicy even if somebody overcooks them.

That lands you around 90/10 to 85/15 depending on the real fat in the chuck.

It also gives you that “burger smell” that makes kids actually want to eat it.

I wasted money on fancy “venison burger binders” before switching to chuck, because chuck is cheap and it works.

In my area, I usually pay about $4.49 per pound for chuck on sale, and I buy 10 pounds at a time during fall.

If you are hunting the Missouri Ozarks and your deer is lean as a broom handle, forget about trying to force 100% venison patties and focus on chuck or tallow.

Pork Fatback: Works Great, But It Changes The Flavor

Pork fatback will make a juicy burger, no question.

It also adds a pork note that some people notice right away.

Here is what I do if I use pork fatback.

I keep it lower, like 10% to 15%, and I season a little heavier with salt and pepper.

If you push pork fat to 20% and above, you are close to sausage texture.

That can be fine, but call it what it is.

My buddy loves pork fat because he also makes sticks and summer sausage, so he already has it.

I keep pork fat for times I am mixing big batches, like 30 pounds, and I want everything to grind easy.

Bacon Ends: A Fun Idea That Can Go Sideways Fast

I have tried bacon ends and pieces, because I like bacon like everybody else.

It can taste great, but it can also overpower the venison and make a salty, smoky burger that is more “breakfast” than “grill.”

Here is what I do if I mess with bacon.

I use 5% to 10% bacon max, and I cut back on added salt.

I learned the hard way that some bacon has a lot of water in it, and that water steams out and makes the patty crumble.

If your goal is a clean burger, skip bacon and save it for topping.

What I Avoid: Suet, Random Trimmings, And “Whatever Fat Is Around”

Not all fat is the same, and some of it tastes nasty when it cools.

Beef suet from around kidneys can have a waxy feel in the mouth if you use too much.

Random trimmings from a buddy’s butcher pile can carry off flavors you cannot fix with seasoning.

I learned this the hard way in 2008 when I took a bag of “free fat” from a well-meaning friend.

Every burger had a weird old-freezer taste, and my wife still brings it up.

Here is what I do now.

I only use fat I would eat by itself if it was cooked in a pan.

If you are trying to keep meat clean, this connects to what I wrote about how to field dress a deer because a sloppy gut job can add bad taste that no fat can hide.

Get The Ratio Right, Or You Will Hate Your Own Burger

Most whitetail trim is too lean for a good patty.

I like these ratios because they are hard to mess up.

90/10 final mix is fine for chili, tacos, and spaghetti.

85/15 is my sweet spot for thick burgers on a grill at 425 degrees.

80/20 is for smash burgers on cast iron at “smoke is coming off the pan” hot.

If you go leaner than 90/10 for burgers, you need perfect cooking and you need to stop pressing patties.

If you go fatter than 80/20, you will lose a lot to flare-ups and shrink.

Back in 2015 in the Missouri Ozarks, I tried running super lean patties over a hot wood fire.

I ended up with dry hockey pucks and a grease fire, and I ate jerky for lunch instead.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If your venison is from a lean Ozarks doe or a hard-run rut buck, do a 85/15 mix with beef tallow.

If you see crumbly patties and white “dry” edges while cooking, expect your mix is too lean or your fat got smeared warm during grinding.

If conditions change to smash burgers on a ripping hot griddle, switch to a richer 80/20 mix using chuck or tallow.

Make A Choice On Texture, Because Grinding Can Ruin Good Fat

You can have the right fat and still get a bad burger.

The mistake is grinding warm meat and handling it like bread dough.

Here is what I do every time.

I chill everything, including the grinder parts, for 30 minutes.

I grind once coarse, then mix quick with cold hands, then grind fine only if I want tight patties.

I learned the hard way that over-mixing turns it rubbery, like cheap cafeteria burgers.

If you want a loose steak-burger feel, grind once and stop.

If you want a tighter “store burger” feel, do a second grind and form patties fast.

Choose Your Seasoning Plan, Because Fat Changes What You Taste

Fat carries flavor, so more fat means your seasoning hits harder.

For 85/15 with beef tallow, I keep it simple.

Here is what I do for four 1/3-pound patties.

I use 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder mixed in gently.

If I am using pork fatback, I add a pinch more pepper and sometimes smoked paprika.

If I am using bacon, I cut salt in half and taste a cooked test patty first.

This is the same reason I pay attention to how much a deer weighs because big mature bucks give you a lot of trim, and bad seasoning multiplied by 40 pounds is a bummer.

Don’t Ignore The Shot And The Blood Trail, Because It Affects Burger Taste

I am not trying to get deep here, but shot placement shows up on your plate.

Bloodshot shoulders and gut-hit stink can follow the meat into your grind.

I learned the hard way in 2007 when I gut shot a doe, pushed her too early, and never found her.

That mistake still sits in my chest, and it also made me way more careful about angles and patience.

When I am trying to help new guys, I point them to what I wrote about where to shoot a deer because clean kills mean clean meat.

If you are hunting Southern Iowa during the rut and you are tempted to fling one through brush at last light, forget about “good burger fat” and focus on a clean shot you can recover.

Pick Your Fat Based On How You Cook Burgers

Cooking method is not a small detail.

It decides how much fat you can get away with.

If you grill over open flame, too much fat means flare-ups and bitter smoke.

If you cook on a flat top, extra fat means crispy edges and a juicy center.

Here is what I do on my Weber kettle.

I run a two-zone fire, sear over hot coals, then finish on the cool side with the lid on.

That keeps venison from drying out while still getting color.

If I am in camp on public land, like the Mark Twain National Forest, I keep burgers thicker and flip less.

I have found deer act different on tough weather days, and it ties into what I wrote about deer movement in the wind because a windy day often means I am tired, hungry, and more likely to overcook meat.

Products I Actually Use For Grinding, And What Broke On The Junk Stuff

I am not a gear snob, because I grew up broke and hunted public land before I could afford a lease.

But grinders are one place where cheap can cost you meat.

I wasted money on a $60 no-name grinder in 2012, and the plastic gears stripped halfway through a batch.

Now I run a LEM #8 Big Bite that I paid about $349 for, and it has chewed through everything I feed it for years.

I also use a simple digital scale so my ratios are real, not guesses.

FAQ

What is the best fat percentage for venison burgers?

I like 85/15 for most burgers because it stays juicy without tasting greasy.

If I am doing smash burgers, I bump it to 80/20.

Should I use beef tallow or pork fat for deer burgers?

I pick beef tallow when I want a “real burger” taste.

I pick pork fat when I want cheaper fat and I do not mind a slight sausage vibe.

Can I mix venison with ground beef instead of adding pure fat?

Yes, and it is the easiest way for a lot of hunters.

I do 50/50 with 80/20 chuck when I am feeding picky kids or guests.

Why do my venison burgers fall apart on the grill?

Your mix is probably too lean, or you ground warm and smeared the fat.

Chill the meat and fat, and get to at least 85/15.

Does adding bacon make venison burgers better?

Sometimes, but bacon can overpower venison and make patties salty and crumbly.

If I use bacon, I keep it at 5% to 10% and I cut added salt.

Do I need eggs or breadcrumbs to bind venison burgers?

No, not if you have enough fat and you do not over-handle the meat.

If you need a binder, it usually means your mix is too lean or your patties are too thin.

One More Decision: What Deer Are You Grinding, And How Clean Is The Meat

A big rutty buck and a fat early-season doe do not eat the same.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, I killed my first deer, an 8-point buck, with a borrowed rifle.

We did not talk fat ratios back then, and we ate a lot of dry patties because nobody told us better.

If you want a quick refresher on bucks and does, I mention it because it ties into trimming and flavor on what a male deer is called and what a female deer is called.

On older bucks, I trim harder and I lean toward beef tallow for flavor.

On young does, I can get away with 10% to 15% fat and still get a soft bite.

One More Decision: What Deer Are You Grinding, And How Clean Is The Meat

A big rutty buck and a fat early-season doe do not eat the same.

The deer itself changes the trim quality, and that changes what fat I add.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, I killed my first deer, an 8-point buck, with a borrowed rifle.

We did not talk fat ratios back then, and we ate a lot of dry patties because nobody told us better.

If you want a quick refresher on bucks and does, I mention it because it ties into trimming and flavor on what a male deer is called and what a female deer is called.

On older bucks, I trim harder and I lean toward beef tallow for flavor.

On young does, I can get away with 10% to 15% fat and still get a soft bite.

Make The Call: Clean, Simple Burgers Or “Hide It In Seasoning” Burgers

This is where most guys mess up and blame the deer.

If the meat is clean and cooled fast, I keep seasoning basic and let the beef fat do its job.

If the meat is strong, I do not try to mask it with a whole spice rack.

Here is what I do instead.

I trim every bit of tallow-like deer fat, silver skin, and dried edges before it ever hits the grinder.

I learned the hard way that grinding junk just makes more junk, and you cannot “season out” old flavors.

Don’t Skip The Trim, Or Even The Best Fat Won’t Save It

Venison burger lives or dies on trimming.

The mistake is leaving deer fat and gland-smelling stuff in the pile because “it will grind fine.”

Here is what I do on the tailgate or in my garage.

I keep two tubs, one for clean red meat and one for questionable trim that goes to slow-cook or dog food.

I trim anything that looks shiny, stringy, or dried from air exposure.

I also cut away bloodshot meat instead of hoping fat fixes it.

This connects to what I wrote about how much meat from a deer, because heavy trimming feels painful until you taste the difference.

Tradeoff: Stronger Deer Flavor Means More Beef Flavor To Balance It

If you want the burger to taste like a burger, do not be scared to add beef.

If you want it to taste like venison, stop chasing 80/20 and cook it right.

Back in 2020 in the Missouri Ozarks on public land, I ground a hard-run buck way too lean because I wanted “pure venison.”

It tasted fine in chili, but the burgers were dry and livery no matter what I did.

Now I treat older rut bucks like this.

I go 85/15 with beef tallow, or I do that 50/50 blend with 80/20 chuck and call it dinner.

Decide How You Will Package It, Or Freezer Time Will Wreck Your Work

Freezer burn makes people think venison is “gamey.”

The mistake is stuffing warm grind into thin grocery bags and hoping for the best.

Here is what I do every season.

I package in 1-pound flats so they thaw fast and stack tight.

I press the air out, label the date, and freeze it cold and fast.

If you are trying to plan meals around movement and sit times, I check deer feeding times and I also make sure burger is already portioned, because late-night grinding sessions get sloppy.

My Final Take, From A Guy Who Has Burned Plenty Of Patties

I split my time between a small 65-acre lease in Pike County, Illinois and public land in the Missouri Ozarks.

I have shot deer in good conditions and I have dragged them out of ugly ones, and the grinder does not care which story you tell.

If you want the best all-around burger, use beef tallow or fatty beef trim and aim for a true 85/15 mix.

If you want the easiest option with the least fuss, blend lean venison 50/50 with 80/20 ground chuck and cook it hot and fast.

I am not a guide or an outfitter, just a guy who has lost deer I should have found and found deer I thought were gone.

I process my own deer in the garage, and I want your first venison burger to taste good enough that you keep hunting.