This recipe is originally from Pheasants Forever.
Ingredients
1 ¼ pounds skinless pheasant meat
¼ pound fatty pork shoulder
Salt
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Sriracha (or more to taste)
A bunch of fresh cilantro
½ cup lime juice or rice vinegar
1 medium red onion, sliced root to tip
Burger buns
Preparation
Step 1
Submerge the red onion slices in the lime juice or vinegar and set aside for at least 30 minutes, and up to several days ahead of time. This takes the sulfur sting out of raw onions.
Step 2
Grind the pheasant meat with the fatty pork shoulder through a medium die. If you don’t have a meat grinder, get one. But in the meantime, you can chop the pheasant and pork and pulse it in the food processor. This isn’t nearly as good, but it’ll get you close. Shape into 4 patties and set aside.
Step 3
Mix the Sriracha and the mayo in a small bowl. Start with a couple tablespoons of the hot sauce at first, and add to taste.
Step 4
Salt the burgers well on both sides; if you use bacon you don’t need to do this. Set the burgers in a room temperature frying pan and turn the heat to high. As soon as the burgers start to sizzle, drop the heat to medium and cook until the interior hits about 155°F, normally about 8 minutes total. Flip the burgers after 4 minutes.
Step 5
Set the burgers on a cutting board to rest and set the burger buns, cut side down onto the frying pan to brown for a minute or three. If there isn’t enough fat in the pan, add some butter.
Step 6
Spread the Sriracha mayo on the buns, add the patties and top with pickled onions and cilantro. Serve with beer.
