I was fortunate enough to tag a bull in my first elk hunt this year. What’s everyone’s best burger recipe? I have tons of hamburger……looking at actually cheeseburgers, meatballs, meatloaf….
Depends on the quality of the burger. If it is good meat properly handled, then you should cook it so the character of the meat shines through. If it is foul/funky meat, then you should cover that with spices.
With good meat, I like "clean" tastes. I usually smash it into burger patties then cook them like steak. Usually use just enough bacon grease to keep them from sticking to the pan. Possibly some salt but no other seasoning. Cheeseburger is acceptable .. good quality bacon, etc. Don't overwhelm the taste of the meat though, let it shine through. Done right, you're not making fast food burgers, you're making ground steak served on a bun.
With sketchy meat, "gamey" or whatever, then spaghetti sauce, meatballs, etc with heavy enough spices to cover the funk seems appropriate. I had one buck 20 ish years ago that was just vile. He was big, old, and it was late in the rut when I shot him ... and that's what he smelled like when the meat cooked, "rut". It took a lot of garlic and chipotle tabasco to cover the foulness .. but it did work and I ate a lot of spagetti that winter.
