Hunting season is winding down at Camp See No Deer, but the season for enjoying healthy venison dishes is always open.
We'll have one more bowhunt to mark the last day of Arkansas' archery season Feb. 28. It's mostly a ceremonial hunt, an end-of-season tradition before putting away our tree stands until next September.
The delicious fare that's come off the barbecue grill lately sparks memories of another fine bow season at our little deer hunting forest. We're thankful to a generous landowner who gives a handful of us bowhunters permission to hunt.
Now and then we like to share some of our favorite Camp See No Deer recipes. They're venison dishes that have been taste tested, tweaked and refined so they're almost guaranteed delicious.
Our new favorite dish that's been sizzling over the charcoal is a five-star mushroom and Swiss venison burger. It's not your average mushroom and Swiss burger, but one that's been fancied up with some Camp See No Deer flair.
It's so easy and will satisfy four hungry hunters. Drop a pound of ground venison into a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper or whatever seasoning you like. Any ground meat can be substituted for the venison.
Toss in a handful of chopped onion. Then add some grated cheese to the mixture. Use any type of cheese you like and any amount. At Camp See No Deer, we're fond of adding too much cheese. It's like having a little ground venison with your cheese. Melted cheese oozes out of the meat when the burger is done.
Now mix everything together with your hands until well blended. There should be enough ground venison to make four patties, or three if you like a jumbo sized burger.
Grill the venison burgers like any other hamburger, about six to 10 minutes on each side. After you turn the burgers, place sliced mushrooms on the top of each one and top the mushrooms with a slice of Swiss cheese. Close the grill lid until the burgers are done, another six or eight minutes.
When you open the lid, you'll eyeball the most tasty looking burger known to human kind. The Swiss cheese will be nicely melted, and there'll be more cheese inside the meat.
Place it on a toasted bun with a little brown mustard and whatever veggies you like. Now you're looking at a dish that ought to be on the cover of Southern Living.
For a great side dish, slice a potato into steak fries and grill those along with the venison burgers. At Camp See No Deer, we always add a crisp dill pickle to the plate.
Last February we shared the joy of grilling venison blue cheese burgers, and we haven't forgotten those. To make them, add a generous amount of blue cheese crumbles to a pound of venison and mix the cheese into the meat. Or, mix grated cheddar cheese and diced jalapeno peppers with the venison for a jalapeno cheddar burger.
Thursday might be the day to fix that special someone a tasty dinner for Valentine's Day. Nothing says I love you like a mushroom and Swiss venison burger fixed Camp See No Deer style.
Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected]
Sports on 02/12/2019