Venison Burger with Le Gruyère Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Gem Lettuce and Bacon Sauce
Venison Burger with Le Gruyère Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Gem Lettuce and Bacon Sauce by Hywel Griffith at The Beach House
A banging burger by Hywel Griffith at The Beach House using the finest venison mince from Lincolnshire Game, topped with world-award-winning Le Gruyère.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 400g minced venison
- 100g minced pork belly
- 2g salt
- 1g ground pepper
- 25g breadcrumbs
- 25g tomato ketchup
- 400g strong flour
- 1 egg
- 2 yolks
- 8g salt
- 80g oil
- 120g milk
- 8g yeast
- 24g sugar
- 120g Le Gruyère cheese
- 1 gem lettuce
- 1 tomato
- 2 medium onions
- 3 tsp sugar
- 50ml red wine
- 20g balsamic vinegar.
- 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 20g tarragon
- 1 small banana shallot
- ½tsp cayenne pepper
- 2g salt
- 35g pasteurised egg yolks
- 10g water
- 20g red wine vinegar
- 200g veg oil
Method
- Mix well the minced venison and pork belly with all the ingredients. Split into 4 individual burgers and press to a burger shape or use a burger press.
- Place in a flat tray and clingfilm. Chill for a couple of hours before cooking.
- To make the dough, mix the yeast and milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add the oil, sugar, salt, egg, and yolk to the milk, mix thoroughly.
- Now add the liquid to the flour and mix in a machine with a paddle on low speed for 5 minutes, the dough will be slightly putty-like in texture and slightly darker in colour in comparison to normal bread dough.
- Cover and chill the dough for a few hours before rolling. Now that the dough is thoroughly cold cut into 4 even pieces. Roll in the palm of your hand against the table to form a ball. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and press down firmly to spread out. Cover with a slightly oiled sheet of clingfilm and allow to prove until they are over double in size. Bake in a preheated oven 160°c for 18 minutes.
- Grate the Le Gruyère cheese. Slice and wash the gem lettuce and slice the tomato.
- Thinly slice the onions then fry in a medium hot pan with a small amount of oil. Add the sugar, red wine, and vinegar. Reduce until almost dry and sticky, add a pinch of salt at the end.
- For the sauce, cook 6 rashers of streaky bacon until they are very crispy. Drain the fat off and place on a piece of kitchen towel. Allow to fully cool.
- Break the bacon into small pieces, place in a blender, with mustard, cayenne, salt, egg yolk, water, and red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth.
- Gradually add the oil to make a mayonnaise. Chop the tarragon and dice the shallots fine, mix into the bacon sauce.
- Cook the venison burgers to your liking, top with the Le Gruyère cheese and allow to rest.
- Cut the burger bun in ½ and toast, spread the bacon sauce liberally on the bun, place the burger in the bun, top with the sliced tomato and lettuce and a pinch of salt.
