Southwestern Cheeseburgers
Source of Recipe
Maynard "Bo" Carl, of Washington Terrace, is a former chef.
Recipe Introduction
There's more to preparing the perfect burger than slapping patties on a grill.
First, select good-quality ground beef. In this case, leaner is not always better. If your meat is too lean, it can fall apart and end up tasting bland.
The best blend is 85 percent meat and 15 percent fat. If you aren't sure about the fat content, ask the butcher. Better yet, ask him to grind fresh meat for you. You'll be surprised at how much better it tastes.
Next, don't press or squeeze too tightly when forming the burger. Every drop of liquid you squeeze out is flavor lost. Burgers should be firm but not packed.
Now that you have a well-formed burger, attention must be switched to the cooking process. You want to seal in the juices, so place the burger over medium-high heat and leave it there for three to five minutes, then flip it over and grill another three to five minutes.
Though you see many cooks do it, resist the urge to press down on the burger. This only forces out flavorful juices and dries out the patty. Also, try not to flip continuously, as this just breaks apart the patty and allows essential juices to escape.
If your burger is not quite cooked through after grilling five minutes on the second side, place it in a shallow pan of au jus or beef broth and set over high heat. This way, it finishes cooking without drying out. Also use this procedure with burgers that won't be eaten right away.
Though most people eat burgers plain, you can add extra zip. Simply slather them with barbecue sauce or mix in a few spices while forming the burger. Do not overhandle the meat, lest it become dense and dry. Also, avoid adding salt to the burger mixture, as it will cause the burger to dry out.
List of Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
3/4 cup bread crumbs
Recipe
Stir together all ingredients and form 8 patties.
Serves 8, each with 622 calories and 12.2 grams of carbohydrates.
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