Note: This burger is meant to be fried in a cast iron pan or on a griddle pan on the grill. It will really flame up over an open grill.
Burger Juice:
- 1/2 stick butter melted
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce (trust me, adds a great depth of flavor)
- a few dashes of liquid smoke
- And feel free to throw in a little Ox Roast but not as much as usual because the flavoring is already beautifully rich. Or add it to the sauce below.
Burger:
- 1 1/4 pound ground chuck (80/20)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cheese, any kind you choose
- Brioche buns, buttered and toasted
- Toppings of choice – try it with bacon jam (recipe below)
Burger Sauce – make this! It’s a fair bit of sauce so unless you’re making fries or tater tops for dipping too, just make 1/2 recipe
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
Now put it together:
- In a small saucepan on the stove make the burger sauce. Let it cool. In medium-sized bowl add the beef and pour in the Burger Juice. Break it up with a spoon or your hands and GENTLY mix thoroughly. Do not over-work your meat, be very very gentle with it. Make your patties (enough for 3 large or 4 small) the way Juan does. Best burger lesson I ever got was Juan’s way of shaping them.
- When ready to cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle pan over high heat until SUPER HOT. Add your burgers and cook 3 min (until they start to carmelize and turn golden) and flip. After 2 min add your cheese and then cook another 2 min. You’ll have to time based on thickness.
- Fry up your brioche buns to golden
- Build your burger with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Bacon Jam – if you’re into it. You should be, it’s a AMAZING
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. thick cut bacon
- 2 extra large sweet onions, quartered and sliced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Make it:
- Cut the bacon into half-inch slices and add them to a large frying pan. Don’t worry if the bacon pieces stick together, they will come apart as they cook. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is cooked but still quite chewy. A few crispy bit are ok.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings and reserve for another use.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes then reduce the heat to low. Add the sugar and stir. Continue to cook until the onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the coffee, 1/2 cup of water and the reserved bacon and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring about every five minutes, until the onions are thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir through the balsamic. Taste for seasoning and salt if necessary.
- Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving. There will be little spots of white fat when you take it out of the fridge. As the jam comes to room temp, or you heat up gently in a sauce pan.
PS – you can try adding maple syrup or some bourbon as well. It’s also really good on a wheel of Brie and heated up in the oven with some killer bread.
beggarsgourmet.com 