 “BUTTER BURGERS”
(STUFFED WITH GARLIC HERB BUTTER)
Note: In this recipe, you fold a disk of garlic herb butter into the center of the burger. As the burger grills, the butter melts, keeping the meat moist and luscious—even when cooked through.
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 1 to 2 hours for chilling herb butter
For the hamburgers:
1-1/2 pounds ground sirloin, round, or chuck (15 to 20 per cent fat)
4 tablespoons Garlic-Herb Butter (recipe follows), cut into four 1/2-inch
thick slices
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons melted butter
For the toppings (any or all of the following):
Bibb or red leaf lettuce leaves
Thin slices of raw or grilled sweet onions
Sliced ripe red tomato
Mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, or whatever other condiments you like
Wet your hands with cold water and divide the ground beef into 4 portions. Using a light touch, pat each portion into a thick patty formed around a slice of herb butter. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate the burgers, covered, on a plate lined with plastic wrap while you preheat the grill.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
Place the burgers on the hot grate and season again with salt and pepper.
Place the burgers on the hot grill, and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. (An instant-read meat thermometer inserted through the side of the burger—parallel to the grill grate—should read at least 160 degrees F.) Remove the burgers from the grill and cover to keep warm. Leave the grill on.
Brush the cut sides of the hamburger buns with the melted butter, if using. Place the buns on the hot grill, cut side down, and grill until toasted, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Watch carefully. You may need to work in batches.
Assemble the burgers: On the bottom half of each bun, place a lettuce leaf followed by a slice of onion and tomato. Top with the burger, the condiments of your choice, and the top half of the bun.
Garlic-Herb Butter
Makes about 1/2 cup
3 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including parsley, chives,
basil, oregano, and/or tarragon leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
Place the herbs, garlic, pepper, and butter in a small mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can do the beating in a mixer or food processor.
Lay a 12-inch square piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the flavored butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder, twisting the ends to compact the butter. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. The butter will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. To use, unwrap the roll and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Leftovers are great on steak—add a pat just before serving—bread, eggs, or potatoes.)
INSIDE-OUT CHEESEBURGERS
Adapted from BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Note: In this recipe, the grated cheese is mixed directly into the ground beef. The cheese melts during grilling, keeping the burger succulent and juicy—even when cooked through.
1-1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin or chuck (15 to 20 per cent fat)
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese or pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated
(about 1-1/2 cups)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and plenty of freshly grated black pepper
4 hamburger buns
2 tablespoons butter (optional), melted
Arugula leaves
Ripe tomato slices
Sweet onion slices
Pickle slices
Chipotle Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add the cheddar and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Wet your hands with cold water and divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Working quickly and with a light touch, pat each portion into a thick patty. Place on a plate lined with plastic wrap. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to grill.
Generously season each patty on both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill to high. Place the burgers on the hot grill, and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Please resist the temptation to tamp down on the burgers with a spatula as the juices will run out. (An instant-read meat thermometer inserted through the side of the burger—parallel to the grill grate—should read at least 160 degrees F.) Remove the burgers from the grill and cover to keep warm. Leave the grill on.
Brush the cut sides of the hamburger buns with the melted butter, if using. Place the buns on the hot grill, cut side down, and grill until toasted, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Watch carefully. You may need to work in batches.
Place each of the burgers on the bottom half of a bun and top with arugula, tomato, onion, pickle, and a dollop of Chipotle Mayonnaise. Top with the other half of the bun and serve at once.
Chipotle Mayonnaise
Makes about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
1 to 2 canned chipotle peppers, minced, with 1 tablespoon of their adobo
sauce
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Place the mayonnaise, chipotle(s), and paprika in a small nonreactive bowl and whisk to mix. If not serving at once, cover and refrigerate. The mayonnaise will keep for several days, covered, in the refrigerator. |
