Grilled Steak Burgers

Deer season opens again. Third fall hunting season where Danny has not been able to come out with me. He is fifty-two years old and he cannot walk a hundred yards without stopping to rest. He used to be able to track a deer through creek bottom for half a mile, hauling out on his own shoulders. That is gone. What is not gone is the knowledge, which he passes by phone and by conversation, and what is not gone is my going, which carries his teaching into the field even when he cannot.

I got a doe opening weekend, same as last year, the same stand south of Claremore. The stand is mine now in the specific way that a place becomes yours: through repetition, through attention, through knowing where the deer come from and which way the wind needs to be going and how much before dawn you need to be in position. Danny taught me all of that. I execute it. The knowledge moves through me and into the woods and comes back as meat.

Luna said "dee" for deer on Sunday when I brought the cooler into the kitchen. She is eighteen months old and she saw the cooler and said "dee" with complete confidence, which means she has connected the cooler with deer before now, which means she has been paying attention to more of the kitchen operations than I realized. Hannah laughed. I said: "That is right, Luna. Deer." Luna said "dee" again, more firmly, like I was the one who needed confirmation.

I brought the backstrap to Terry's the same evening. Danny ate it the same way he has eaten it every year since I started bringing it: slowly, with careful attention, the way you eat something you love and do not want to rush. He said nothing specific about it. He ate it and that was his statement. I drove home knowing the freezer is starting to fill for another winter, which is the specific satisfaction of a man who has been taught to measure security in how full the freezer is before December arrives.

The backstrap went to Danny’s, and that was right — some cuts belong to the people who taught you to take them. But the rest of the season’s meat still needs to be cooked with the same attention, the same intention. These grilled steak burgers are what I reach for when I want to honor that same principle without ceremony: high heat, good seasoning, nothing wasted. Luna will say “dee” when she smells them on the grill too, and she will not be wrong.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 80/20 blend (or ground venison if you have it)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 sturdy burger buns, toasted
4 slices sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese
Toppings of your choice: sliced onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard

Instructions

Preheat the grill. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high — you want 450°F to 500°F. Clean and oil the grates well so the burgers release cleanly.
Mix and form the patties. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix just until combined — do not overwork the meat. Divide into 4 equal portions and press into patties roughly 3/4 inch thick. Make a shallow thumbprint in the center of each patty to prevent doming during cooking.
Grill the first side. Place patties on the hot grill and cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until a crust forms and the edges show browning. Resist pressing down on the patties.
Flip and finish. Flip each patty once. For medium, cook another 3 to 4 minutes until internal temperature reads 160°F. Add cheese slices in the final 1 to 2 minutes and close the lid briefly to melt.
Rest and assemble. Transfer patties to a plate and let rest 2 to 3 minutes. Toast the buns cut-side down on the grill for 30 to 60 seconds. Assemble with your preferred toppings and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Grilled Steak Burgers — The Meat You Earned This Season