Rodney's Bushveld Burger Creations | Impala Venison Burgers
It's Friday at Thorn Tree Bush Camp, and the thermometer is sitting at a rather uncomfortable 37°C!
Or, as we say in Afrikaans, "Die kraaie gaap!" Even the crows are gasping for air!
We're waiting for our weekend guests to arrive. Everything is ready, the bushveld is baking, and I'm trying to decide what to make for lunch.
Now, at 37°C, spending time over a hot stove isn't exactly appealing. But a man has to eat!
Then I remembered something.
Impala burger patties in the freezer!
And we have some lovely fresh Portuguese rolls.
Right, let's see what we can create.
A Little Bushveld Inspiration
I wasn't in the mood for an ordinary hamburger. If I was going to cook in this heat, it had better be worth the effort!
Out came the ingredients: fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, cheese, relish and, of course, my special addition, homemade maroela jelly, made from the fruit of the African maroela tree.
The impala patties went onto the heat, the onions were fried until beautifully golden, and the mushrooms were grilled.
Then came the cheese, melting over the patties.
Already things were looking promising!
But why stop there?
The maroela jelly would add a lovely fruity sweetness to complement the venison, while some pickled beetroot and jalapeños could provide a little extra excitement.
Three Burgers, Three Personalities!
Now came the challenge. Three people, three different preferences.
Burger No. 1 – Rodney's Full Bushveld Adventure
Mine was getting the works! All the usual goodies, plus pickled beetroot AND jalapeños.
If you're going to experiment, you might as well do it properly!
Burger No. 2 – Nichoils' Classic
For Nichoils, I kept things a little more traditional. All the delicious burger ingredients, but without the beetroot or jalapeños.
Sometimes the simple version is just as good.
Burger No. 3 – Elzabé's Bushveld Bite
Elzabé's burger received the jalapeños but no beetroot. Just enough extra bite to keep things interesting!
And, of course, there were the dogs.
They weren't particularly interested in my creative culinary achievements. They were simply hoping that something might fall off the plates!
Naturally, a few suitable scraps found their way to our four-legged spectators.
The Moment of Truth
With three magnificent burgers assembled, it was finally time to eat.
Now, I must admit, these weren't exactly delicate little hamburgers. They were proper, generously loaded bushveld creations!
The kind where you have to work out how to get your mouth around them without half the filling landing in your lap.
First bite.
Oh, now THAT is a burger!
The impala patty was delicious, the cheese melted beautifully, the onions and mushrooms added richness, and the fresh Portuguese roll held everything together.
But the real surprise was Rodney's homemade Chilli Maroela Jelly!
Now, this wasn't just any ordinary jelly. The maroela fruit had been collected during one of our camping adventures at Swadini, where every morning became a race against the local baboons and kudu to see who could get to the freshly fallen fruit first!
And believe me, when you're competing with baboons and kudu for breakfast, you'd better be up early!
Fortunately, I managed to gather enough of those precious little fruits to make my own homemade chilli maroela jelly. A little taste of the bushveld, preserved in a jar!
That wonderful sweet, fruity flavor, with just a hint of chilli, combined beautifully with the savory impala venison, tangy beetroot and the extra kick from the jalapeños.
I was rather pleased with myself!
And considering the effort it took to beat the baboons and kudu to those maroelas, I reckon that jelly deserved a five-star rating all on its own! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And the Verdict?
Well, as the chef, creator and official food critic, I awarded my own burger a very respectable:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – 5 out of 5!
Admittedly, that's not exactly an independent review.
But considering I cooked all three burgers, survived the kitchen heat and managed to eat mine without wearing too much of it, I reckon I've earned the right to award the stars!
As for the dogs, I suspect they would have given the occasion five stars too, although their standards are somewhat less demanding.
And I'm pretty sure that, somewhere out there in the bushveld, even the impalas would be satisfied knowing they contributed to creating Rodney's perfect five-star bushveld burger!
Although, on second thought, perhaps I shouldn't ask them for a review! 😂
And speaking of food critics, we have another pair of regular visitors at Thorn Tree — our resident hornbills, affectionately known as the Zazus! These cheeky characters have become so comfortable around us that they even wander into reception to investigate where I've hidden their breakfast. I'm sure they would have had plenty to say about my burger creations, although I suspect they'd be more interested in what was left over than in awarding stars!
Just Another Friday at Thorn Tree
That's what I enjoy about life in the bushveld.
Not every adventure involves tracking lions, watching elephants or listening to hyenas calling in the night.
Sometimes it's simply a scorching Friday afternoon, a few impala patties from the freezer, fresh Portuguese rolls and a little imagination.
The guests will soon be checking in, the sun is still blazing, and another weekend at Thorn Tree Bush Camp is about to begin.
But at least one important Friday mission has been accomplished.
Lunch was a roaring success!
And who knows? Perhaps this is the beginning of Rodney's Bushveld Burger Creations.
There are plenty more bushveld flavors to experiment with.
Until next time, keep cool, enjoy the bushveld and never underestimate what you can create with a few ingredients and a little imagination!
Rodney
Thorn Tree Bush Camp – Dinokeng Game Reserve
A little note from Rodney: This is a true story, based on a real Friday afternoon at Thorn Tree Bush Camp — with a generous sprinkling of bushveld humor, a few creative additions and perhaps a little artistic license! The burgers, however, were very real, and so was my five-star rating! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐