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The Front Door Forager

Coty C - Kitchen Manager @ The Front Door Tavern, Darlington, PA
A seasoned venison patty topped with plentiful wild mushrooms. A burger loaded with fresh sautéed morels and other mushrooms. Topped with fried shallots, and smoked gouda cheese all sitting on a pretzel bun.
Designed to celebrate all that is good in the spring...earthy flavors, with morels and more!
Hope other's enjoy!
This burger is highlighted as the burger of the month at The Front Door Tavern in Darlington, PA in April 2026
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet or any 12 inch skillet to sauté mushrooms
  • 1 Grill of choice gas, charcoal, open fire, etc.
  • 1 small mixing bowl for Aioli sauce
  • 1 Deep Fryer/Air Fryer if you plan on frying your shallots, ramps or onions

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb venison can substitute with ground beef
  • 1 tbsp Worchester sauce used to season your venison
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
  • 2 bacon fat if using venison
  • 1/2 lb smoked gouda cheese used as topping
  • 1 bunch Arugula any type of greens
  • 1 Cup Crispy Fried Shallots can substitute fried onions ramps, etc

Aioli Sauce

  • 2 tbsp ground peppercorns
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Lemon zest
  • 1 Juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 cup light virgin oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely diced

Crispy fried Shallots

  • 5 diced shallots fried to a crispy crunch substitute ramps or onions

Morels and mushrooms

  • 1 lb fresh morels
  • 1/2 lb Shitake, cremini, and or portabella any or all are optional just slice thinly

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your ground meat (salt and pepper) and make your protein patties
    Add the bacon fat if you are using venison. Because it is such a lean protein it needs the boost of fat
  • Heat up your grill or however you plan to cook your protein. You can cook your protein however you would normally would do a burger- gas grill, charcoal, pan fried, etc.
  • Prepare your Aolia Sauce a head of time. You can do this even before preparing your protein.
  • mix all the ingredients for the Aioli into a small bowl and check for taste add additional seasoning if needed. Takes about 5 minutes to whip this up.
  • heat up your cast iron skillet to medium heat. Or you can used any large skillet, drop a 1/4 cup or more of butter and a pinch of garlic
  • While your grill is heating up, quarter your morel mushrooms, slice any of your other mushrooms.
  • throw your venison patties (protein) on the grill and cook to your desired temp. You can do this as you sauté the mushrooms. Add the smoked gouda cheese, at the end remove from the grill and let your protein rest.
  • sauté all the morels and mushrooms in butter with a pinch of garlic in the same skillet. Note the mushrooms will not take all that long
    do not salt and pepper the mushrooms until the mushrooms are completely done.
  • When it about time time to plate and get ready for dinner, simply layer your burger as such:
    spread aioli on the top and bottom of the bun (toasted or not toasted bun)
    arugula is next
    place protein with smoked gouda cheese
    add the mushroom medley, the fried shallots and enjoy!

Notes

Adjust the amount of morels and/or other mushrooms based on how many burgers you plan to make.  I typically get 3 to 4 burgers per pound of protein. Although, all the left over morels/mushrooms can be added to the plate to make a wonderful side.
Also, you can add any other toppings if so desired.
I hope others can add their own twist to it and simply enjoy!!
Coty
Keyword classic morel recipe