Venison is one of the most healthy and nutritious red meats there is—and Northern Michigan venison on the hoof (otherwise known as whitetail deer!) grazes literally out our back doors. Free-range Northern Michigan venison delivers more iron than any other domesticated red meat, is low in calories and fat and is a great source of the vitamins B12, B6, riboflavin and niacin.
But introducing this Northern Michigan food to your kids can be tricky. For one thing, it doesn’t grow on the supermarket shelf. If you don’t know a hunter who can supply you with venison, you can buy it online at ShopMyNorth.com.
Unless your kids are adventurous eaters, a venison burger is one of the least intimidating ways to introduce the meat into their diet. Before you fire up the grill or skillet, know that ground venison is so lean you will need to add some form of fat to hold it together. Egg yolks help too, as in this recipe:
Cheesy Northern Michigan Venison Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison burger
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons canola or soy oil for frying
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Mix together all of the ingredients except the oil. Divide into four patties. Put oil in a skillet and heat on medium heat. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes on each side—or until the meat is well done. Serve on buns with ketchup, mustard, pickles and any other condiments your kids love.
