• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peak to Plate
  • Winter Favorites
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Winter Favorites
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Winter Favorites
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Peak to Plate » All Wild Game » Venison

    Venison Mushroom Swiss Burgers

    Published: Aug 30, 2022 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Annie Weisz · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe

    Have you ever had a burger so good that you couldn't set it down? Yeah? This is one of those burgers. The secrets to a perfect venison mushroom swiss burger are a little bit of time and a whole lotta cheese. Perfectly caramelized mushrooms and onions are an exercise in patience but once you have them paired with a deliciously cheesy, juicy burger, you'll want to make them over and over again.

    venison mushroom swiss burger with beer.
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works:
    • Ingredient Notes:
    • Equipment Notes:
    • Step by Step Instructions:
    • Putting it All Together:
    • Recipe FAQ's:
    • Other Recipes to Try:
    • Recipe:
    • Venison Mushroom Swiss Burgers

    Why This Recipe Works:

    There's something special about a classic mushroom Swiss burger. The flavors aren't hidden with a bunch of different toppings. The caramelized mushrooms and onions combined with melted Swiss cheese and a juicy venison burger are a true thing of beauty. A little ketchup (or your favorite tangy condiment) adds some acidity to break up the richness but is not necessary. Simple ingredients truly do make amazing food!

    venison mushroom swiss burger ingredients with labels.

    Ingredient Notes:

    • Ground Venison: Any ground meat can be used in place of venison - elk, moose, antelope, beef, turkey, etc.
    • Onions: Any type of onion you use will caramelize. Use whatever you prefer!
    • Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are great for caramelizing but you can use white mushrooms or get creative and try some other gourmet mushrooms!
    • Swiss Cheese: Swiss cheese is the obvious choice for a mushroom Swiss burger but if you're not a fan, you can totally use any melty cheese you prefer.

    Equipment Notes:

    • Pellet Grill: If you don't have a pellet grill, you can use whatever grill you normally use.
    • Cast Iron Pan: Cast iron pans are great for caramelizing onions because they hold their heat well and distribute it evenly. But, you can use any other skillet as well.
    • Grill Pan or Small Sheet Pan: A grill pan lined with foil is a great way to ensure you don't lose any toppings or cheese to the depths of your grill when melting the cheese. You can also use a small sheet pan instead. Don't want to stick your sheet pan on the grill? Melt the cheese in the oven instead!

    Step by Step Instructions:

    How To Make Cheese-Stuffed Venison Burgers:

    What's better than a burger with cheese on top? A burger with cheese on top AND inside. Incorporating cheese into venison burgers helps keep them juicy and adds great flavor too! See below for how to make them.

    ground venison in bowl and other burger seasonings.
    Gather your ingredients: ground venison, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and diced cheese.
    pouring spices over ground venison.
    Add all ingredients but the cheese to the venison.
    mixing spices into ground venison.
    Mix by hand until spices are well-incorporated into the meat.
    mixing cheese into ground venison.
    Add in cheese and gently incorporate it into the meat. Don't mix too hard or you'll compact the meat.
    ground venison cut into quarters in bowl.
    Divide meat into 4 equal portions.
    forming ball of meat with hands.
    Gently form a ball with each portion.
    forming burger patty with hands.
    Form into a patty about 4.5-5" in diameter.
    4 burger patties on pan.
    Place on a plate or sheet pan and refrigerate until ready to grill.

    Pro Tip: Keep your burger mix cold when forming patties. If it has warmed up while mixing, place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes before making your patties. This helps keep the patties intact and prevents them from falling apart.

    How to Caramelize Mushrooms and Onions:

    I know what you're thinking. You've heard of caramelized onions, but caramelized mushrooms? Yes, they're a thing! If you take your mushrooms just past the point of being sauteed but before the point of burning, they develop a wonderfully deep, sweet flavor. Mixed with caramelized mushrooms, they're a perfect topping for your juicy venison burger. Read below to learn how to make them!

    mushrooms and onions on wood board.
    Gather your mushrooms and onions.
    slicing cremini mushrooms.
    Cut the stems off the onions and slice all mushrooms. Keep the stems for something else like ramen broth.
    cutting top off onion.
    Cut the tops and bottoms off the onions.
    cutting onion in half.
    Cut in half vertically.
    removing core from onion.
    Remove core from onions.
    julienning onion.
    Slice onion root to tip (julienne).
    melting butter in cast iron skillet.
    Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
    cooking onions in cast iron skillet.
    Add onions and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently.
    caramelized onions in cast iron skillet.
    Remove from pan when they are lightly golden brown.
    cooking mushrooms in cast iron skillet.
    Turn heat up to medium-high and add mushrooms.
    mushrooms cooking in skillet.
    Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and reabsorb it, about 7-10 minutes.
    caramelized mushrooms in skillet.
    Mushrooms should be a golden brown color after reabsorbing their liquid.
    cooking mushrooms and onions in skillet.
    Add in onions and cook an additional 25-30 minutes until the mixture is a deep golden brown color but not burned.
    caramelized mushrooms and onions in cast iron skillet.
    Keep warm until ready to use or refrigerate to use later. Isn't it amazing how much 4 cups of onions and a pound of mushrooms cook down into? They're so full of flavor because they're so concentrated!

    Pro Tip: Slicing onions root to tip (julienned) keeps the vegetable fibers more intact which helps keep the pieces whole when caramelizing them and prevents them from turning to mush.

    Putting it All Together:

    Alright, you have some delicious-looking venison burger patties and a whole mess of caramelized mushrooms and onions. It looks like a lot but I promise it's the perfect amount for 4 amazing burgers. Now comes the dilemma of how to keep it all together without those goodies you worked so hard on falling off your burger! Here's where a little ingenuity (a foil-lined grill pan or small sheet pan) and finesse (gently piling on the toppings and covering them in a gooey melted cheese blanket) go a long way.

    2 burger patties on grill.
    Preheat grill to 350°F and cook burgers for 4-5 minutes, directly over the flames.
    venison burgers cooking on grill.
    Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
    venison burgers on foil.
    Place cooked burger patties on a foil-lined grill pan or small sheet pan.
    Top with mushroom and onion mixture.
    topping venison burgers with swiss cheese.
    Top with Swiss cheese.
    venison burgers with melted swiss cheese.
    Put the pan on the grill and cook until the cheese is melted. Add it to your favorite bun with condiments of your choice and enjoy!
    venison mushroom swiss burger up close.

    Recipe FAQ's:

    How do you get deer burgers to stick together?

    Thaw ground venison in a paper towel-lined bowl to soak up excess liquid. Removing the excess liquid gives the meat a more sticky texture that makes it easier to form a patty.

    Do I need to add fat to ground venison?

    Venison does not need fat ground in to be delicious and juicy. But, if you prefer the flavor of venison with fat ground in, that is more than fine!

    What can I mix with venison burger?

    One of the best "bang for your buck" (pun intended) seasonings you can use with ground venison is Worcestershire sauce. It doesn't take much and it adds so much flavor to your burgers!

    Other Recipes to Try:

    • Grilled Elk Burger Sliders with Bacon
    • Venison Burger Sliders
    • Venison Philly Cheesesteak
    • Venison Meatball Sub Sandwich

    If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to me and fellow readers. And if you want more delicious, wild game recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram and Pinterest!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Recipe:

    venison mushroom swiss burger up close.

    Venison Mushroom Swiss Burgers

    Annie Weisz
    Flavorful, juicy grilled venison burgers topped with perfectly caramelized mushrooms and onions coated in a blanket of gooey melted Swiss cheese. What's not to love?
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 613 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • cast iron skillet
    • pellet grill (or regular grill)
    • flat grill pan or small sheet pan

    Ingredients
      

    Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions:

    • 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
    • 4 cups onions, julienned (cut from root to tip)
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Burger Patties:

    • 1 lb ground venison (or elk, moose, antelope, beef, etc.)
    • 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into ¼" squares

    Other Ingredients:

    • 4 slices Swiss cheese
    • 4 brioche hamburger buns
    • mayo (optional)
    • ketchup (optional)

    Instructions
     

    Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions:

    • Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
    • Add butter and swirl to coat the pan. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently for 20-30 minutes or until they are a light golden brown color but not fully caramelized. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
    • Turn heat up to medium-high and add mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and reabsorb it, stirring frequently. The timing varies on the freshness of your mushrooms but should take about 7-10 minutes.
    • Add onions back to pan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes or until mushrooms and onions are a deep golden brown color but not burned. Stir frequently to keep from burning.

    Burgers:

    • Preheat grill to 350°F.
    • To a medium bowl, add ground meat, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
    • Mix with your hands until spices are well-combined with the meat. Add in diced pieces of Swiss cheese and gently incorporate them into the meat.
    • Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece of meat into a ball, then form into a patty by squishing it between the palms of your hands. Patties should be about 4.5-5" in diameter. Using your thumb, place a small dimple in the middle of each patty.
    • If using a pellet grill, open the flame broiler lever to cook directly over the flames. Carefully place burger patties on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes.
    • Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove to a foil-lined flat grill pan or small sheet pan.
    • Top burgers with mushrooms and onions, then top with cheese. You can save some of the mushrooms and onions out to place on top of the melted cheese too, if desired.
    • Place pan back on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, using indirect heat (not directly over the flame).
    • Remove pan from grill when cheese is melted.
    • Spread mayo on buns if desired, then add burgers to the bottom bun. Drizzle with ketchup if desired and place top half of bun on top. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Thaw ground venison in a paper towel-lined bowl to soak up extra liquid. This helps remove off flavors and helps the burgers stick together better.
    • Slicing onions root to tip (julienned) keeps the vegetable fibers more intact which helps keep the pieces whole when caramelizing them and prevents them from turning to mush.
    • Caramelized mushrooms and onions can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to use.
    • Keep your burger mix cold when forming patties. If it has warmed up while mixing, place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes before making your patties. This helps keep the patties intact and prevents them from falling apart.
    • The Swiss cheese in the burger patties can melt and make a mess of your grill. Cover the bottom of the grill with foil if you are concerned about a mess.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 613kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 43gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 748mgPotassium: 1278mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 468IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 448mgIron: 6mg
    Love this recipe?Mention @peak.to.plate on Instagram and tag #peaktoplate

    More Recipes:

    • Maple-Glazed Venison Breakfast Sausage Bites
    • Ground Venison Italian Sausage
    • Venison Poke Bowls
    • Corned Venison Hash with Horseradish Cream Sauce

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    posing with whitetail doe

    Hi, I'm Annie! I'm a wife, mom of 2 boys, Registered Dietitian, Wyoming native, lover of all things food, and the creator of Peak to Plate. I believe that preparing delicious meals and enjoying them mindfully is the best way to pay respect to animals harvested for our consumption. I hope to inspire you to take your cooking skills to new creative heights.

    More about me →

    Follow Me:

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Winter Recipes:

    • Sous Vide Elk Tenderloin with Rosemary Shallot Compound Butter
    • Roasted Elk Bone Marrow with Pickled Mustard Seeds
    • Mini Elk Steak Sandwiches with Horseradish Cream Sauce
    • Elk Backstrap with Red Wine Mushrooms
    • Elk Meatballs with Stout and Mushroom Gravy
    • Breakfast Strata with Antelope Sausage (Overnight Breakfast Casserole)

    Featured On:

    company logos peak to plate is featured at.

    Popular Posts:

    • Perfect Venison Backstrap
    • Ground Venison Italian Sausage
    • Honey Smoked Rainbow Trout with Dry Brine
    • Grilled Elk Heart Tacos
    • Homemade Pork Lard (Rendered Pork Fat)
    • Ground Elk Quesadillas
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Winter Favorites
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Amazon Store

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Need Help?

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Disclosures

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Peak to Plate, LLC - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED