Nothing gets us more excited than a really good burger. It’s a true summer staple and an All-American classic. One of the things we love most about burgers is their versatility. Stack them high. Keep them simple. Change the change. Swap the meat. Experiment with sauces, toppings, sizes and sides. You can easily see how this one great meal quickly becomes many – and has the ability to cater to so many different taste and dietary preferences. Lose the bun and make it a bowl or a salad in seconds. Paleo, Keto, Whole30, AIP, Dairy-free? No problem

This Juicy Pepper Jack Elk Burger by Miss Allie’s Kitchen is a great way to elevate your basic burger into a thing of great taste – with hardly any extra effort at all.

Recipe & Photography by Allie Doran of Miss Allie’s Kitchen.

Recipe: Juicy Pepper Jack Elk Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Honest Bison Ground Elk (or use our pre-made Elk Burger Patties)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. (very cold) grated butter (or ghee), divided
• 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 4 hamburger buns (I recommend brioche)
• For serving – spicy mayo or Miss Allie’s Kitchen’s Whole30 special sauce, lettuce, tomato

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill, or grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ground elk to a bowl and add the salt and pepper.
3. Shape the ground meat into 4 evenly sized burger patties.
4. Add a quarter of the grated butter to the center of each burger and fold it in half. Shape into a patty again, making sure all of the butter is now in the inside of the burger. Repeat for each burger.
5. Place the burgers on the grill and grill for about 4 minutes per side or until they’re medium temperature (140-145F). Add a slice of cheese to each burger during the last 2 minutes of grill time.
6. Serve with any desired toppings on a bun.

Tip: You might want to grate your butter ahead of time and store in the fridge right until you need it so that it stays firm. The butter is what makes these burgers so juicy – Elk is so lean, a tiny bit of extra fat during cooking can make a huge difference.

Cooking Temps: You may be used to (and prefer) beef burgers that are cooked medium. This is the cooking temperature Miss Allie has indicated in her recipe. Because Elk is such a lean meat, it is easy to overcook your meat, particularly in a patty form. You may find you prefer it cooked to a lower temperature (AKA: rarer) than usual. OF course, let good judgment and personal preference guide you!

Read Miss Allie’s original post about this recipe post here and make sure you check out her brand new e-Cookbook “Field to Table” for more amazing ways to prepare wild game like bison, elk & venison.