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Better Burgers: Mix it, stuff it, top it, elevate it to gourmet status

Source of Recipe

American Classics, as reported by the Dallas Morning News


Recipe Introduction

Remember when burgers came only two ways: with or without cheese? Back then, the better burgers hailed from greasy-spoon dives, while the better restaurants avoided them completely. How times have changed. As new ingredients continue to creep into the standard recipe, hamburgers have scaled the status ladder, gracing menus at swanky spots and fetching handsome prices. In February, a fresh truffle-stuffed burger debuted at db bistro moderne, Daniel Boulud's trendy New York City bistro. It sold for $50. And why not? The bistro's $29 foie gras-stuffed burger was already a hit. That burger spawned clones, such as Paris Vendome's PV burger in Dallas, a relative bargain at $16. Last fall, amid the chichi boutiques of Highland Park Village, Who's Who Burger unveiled a hamburger made of Kobe beef – a richly flavored meat from specially bred cattle with a Japanese pedigree. If these designer burgers can be cash cows for some restaurants, how about giving your own burger a makeover? It's not an expensive proposition. 05/21/2003

Start by seasoning the meat with more than just salt and pepper.

Chopped herbs, minced onions, garlic and bottled sauces add flavor when mixed with the raw ground meat. Next, stuff your burgers with crumbled cheese (such as blue cheese or feta) or grated cheese (cheddar, fontina or Jarlsberg).

Putting cheese inside the burger, rather than on top of it, results in a moister, juicier burger, since the cheese melts into the meat.

Don't limit stuffings to cheeses, either. Sautéed mushrooms and earthy, ready-made pestos make good fillings, too. If you're inspired by the most extravagant stuffed burgers, purchase Central Market's truffle-mushroom spread to make an inexpensive luxury model.

But there's no sense in gussying up a burger without the right meat. And it need not be expensive, but it should be at least 15 percent to 20 percent fat. Any leaner, and the burgers will be dry and bland.

Ground chuck is widely acclaimed as the best choice, winning out over ground beef, ground sirloin and ground round. Unfortunately, package labels don't necessarily match actual content. Unless your butcher grinds the meat for packaging, he can't guarantee that you're purchasing 100 percent ground chuck.

The good news is that most supermarket butchers will grind a chuck roast for you on request.

If you want to venture beyond beef, try ground lamb, or mix ground lamb with ground chuck. But don't count on turkey or chicken for a juicy burger – unless you've acquired a taste for drier patties.

Finally, don't skimp on the toppings and buns. Besides the traditional lettuce and tomato, sautéed red and green bell peppers, caramelized onions and roasted green chiles make excellent toppings. Mixing other seasonings into mayonnaise boosts its flavor.

And a host of bottled sauces – teriyaki grilling sauce or barbecue sauce – can replace ketchup.

Buns can range from bakery-made hamburger buns (such as the small ones sold at Central Market) to rosemary focaccia bread (Whole Foods Market) and Poppy Seed Kaiser Rolls (Minyard bakeries).

You can follow our recipes for Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burgers, Mushroom-Stuffed Teriyaki Burgers, Mushroom-Stuffed Cheese Burgers and Feta-Stuffed Lamb Burgers or create your own versions, drawing inspiration from suggested combos.

Each recipe uses 1 pound of ground meat to make four small burgers, which require small buns.

If you want a heftier burger – big enough for the commercially made hamburger buns – use 11/2 pounds of ground meat.

SAFETY TIPS

• Keep ground meat and raw hamburger patties refrigerated, especially if you form your burger patties before the fire is ready.
• Wash your hands before and after handling the meat.
• Thoroughly wash all surfaces that come into contact with raw meat.
• Do not cook burgers to rare or medium rare. If you're uncertain about doneness, invest in an instant-read thermometer, and cook until the internal temperature registers 160 F.

BURGER HOW-TOS

Stuffing burgers
• Use clean hands to mix ingredients into the raw meat.
• Don't overwork the meat or else the patty will be too dense.
• If using a cooked filling, such as mushrooms, be sure to cool the filling completely before stuffing the burgers.

Stuffed patties may be prepared 1 hour ahead of grilling and refrigerated until cooking time.

GRILLING TECHNIQUES

Preparing the grill

Heat coals in a chimney fire starter until they are covered with gray ash. Spread the coals over the bottom of the grill. Set the cooking rack in place, and preheat the grill, covered, for 5 minutes.

INSIDE THE MEAT

Other fillings for stuffed burgers (quantities are for 1 pound of ground meat divided into 4 small burgers)

• 1/2 cup minced sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (or use sun-dried tomato pesto) mixed with 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese.

• 1/4 cup basil pesto mixed with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

• 2 strips cooked, crumbled bacon mixed with 1 cup cheddar cheese.

• 3/4 cup Central Market's truffle mushroom spread (sold in bulk in the refrigerated case).

If using a gas grill, preheat the grill with all burners set to high and the lid down for 15 minutes. Use a wire brush to scrape the cooking grate clean. Oil the grate by dipping a small wad of paper towels in vegetable oil, and holding the wad with tongs, wipe the grill rack.

Cooking the burgers

Cook over a medium-hot grill (test by placing your hand 5 inches above the grate; you should be able to hold it there for 3 to 4 seconds). Place the burgers on the hot grate, and sear the first side (this may take 21/2 to 31/2 minutes). You want the burger to develop a crust on the outside. Don't flip the burgers repeatedly – one turn per side is enough. Don't press down on the burgers with a spatula – it squeezes out the juice and dries them out. When the first side is seared and crusted, flip and cook the other side. If you are using a gas grill, cook covered for 31/2 to 41/2 minutes per side.


Recipe
UNDER THE BUN

Flavored mayonnaises

• Mix 1 to 2 seeded and minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1/2 cup mayonnaise.

• Add 1 to 11/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger to 1/2 cup mayonnaise.

• Combine 1 part herb, olive, red bell pepper or sun-dried tomato pesto with 1 part mayonnaise or to taste.

• Combine equal parts finely crumbled blue cheese and mayonnaise.

• Combine Dijon mustard with mayonnaise.

• Mix 2 tablespoons minced cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice with 1/2 cup mayonnaise.

• Mix horseradish or wasabi mustard with mayonnaise to taste.

• Mix 1 teaspoon curry powder with 1 cup mayonnaise or to taste.

Alternatives to plain ketchup

• Steak sauces

• Bottled Asian sauces (Thai peanut sauce, teriyaki grilling sauce)

• Barbecue sauces

• Jerk seasoning finishing sauces for the grill

• Specialty ketchups, such as chipotle or jalapeño

About mustards

Dozens of mustards grace the grocery shelves these days, from herbed mustards, cranberry mustard and champagne mustard, to Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam mustards. Central Market carries the widest selection, but the big chain supermarkets also carry an amazing variety.


RECIPES

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

1 pound ground beef chuck
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup finely minced white onion (may use food processor)
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (Gorgonzola is a good choice)

Combine meat, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion and parsley in a bowl.

Form the meat into 8 patties, about 3/8-inch thick. Place an equal amount of blue cheese on half of the patties, pressing the cheese in slightly with your fingers. Cover the stuffing with remaining patties. Seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill the patties uncovered for 21/2 to 31/2 minutes per side for charcoal grills, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 160 F. (For gas grills, cook covered 31/2 to 41/2 minutes per side.)

Serve on small hamburger buns or French bread with tomato, red onion and cooked bacon slices with lettuce or spinach leaves. Makes 4 servings.

PER PATTY (without bread): Cal 413 (62% fat) Fat 28 g (14 g sat) Trace fiber Chol 118 mg Sodium 992 mg Carb 3 g Calcium 197 mg

Feta-Stuffed Lamb Burgers

1 pound ground lamb
¼ cup finely minced cilantro
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
¼ cup finely minced or coarsely grated red onion
1 teaspoon Thai red chile sauce
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried crumbled oregano
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
Sautéed peppers and onions (recipe follows)

Combine lamb, cilantro, mint, onion, chile sauce, cumin and oregano in a bowl.

Form meat into 8 thin patties, about 3/8 -inch thick. Place an equal amount of feta cheese on half of the patties. Cover the stuffing with the remaining patties. Seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill the patties uncovered for about 21/2 to 31/2 minutes per side for charcoal grills, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 160 F. (For gas grills, cook covered for 31/2 to 41/2 minutes per side).

Serve on small hamburger buns with sautéed peppers and onions. Makes 4 servings.

Sautéed peppers and onions: Slice 1 red and 1 green bell pepper lengthwise into ¼ -inch strips. Halve a white onion from root to tip and slice into ¼ -inch half-moons. Sauté peppers and onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until softened. May be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, then reheated in a foil packet on the grill.

PER PATTY (without bread): Cal 459 (63% fat) Fat 32 g (14 g sat) Chol 135 mg Sodium 449 mg Carb 9 g Calcium 180 mg


Mushroom-Filled Teriyaki Burgers

1 pound ground chuck
3 tablespoons minced scallion, white and green part
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mushroom filling (recipe follows)

Combine ground chuck, scallion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and black pepper in a bowl.

Form meat into 8 thin patties, 3/8 -inch thick. Place an equal amount of mushroom filling on half of the patties, leaving a margin around the edge. Cover the stuffing with the remaining patties. Seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill the patties uncovered for 21/2 to 31/2 minutes per side for charcoal grills, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 160 F. (For gas grills, cook covered for 31/2 to 41/2 minutes per side.)

Serve on small, sesame seed hamburger buns. Makes 4 servings.

Mushroom filling: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet. Sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion with 1 tablespoon garlic in the skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 3/4 pound chopped mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have released their juices and the juices have evaporated (about 7 minutes). Add 4 tablespoons minced scallion, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Cool completely before stuffing and cooking the burgers.

PER PATTY (without bread): Cal 326 (58% fat) Fat 21 g (6 g sat) Fiber 2 g Chol 70 mg Sodium 805 mg Carb 10 g Calcium 27 mg


Mushroom-Stuffed Cheeseburgers

1 pound ground chuck
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup grated Jarlsberg or Gruyère cheese
Mushroom stuffing (recipe follows)

Combine ground chuck, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and cheese in a bowl.

Form meat into 8 thin patties, 3/8 -inch thick. Place an equal amount of mushroom stuffing on half of the patties, leaving a margin around the edge. Cover the stuffing with the remaining patties. Seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill patties uncovered for 21/2 to 31/2 minutes per side for charcoal grills, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 160 F. (For gas grills, cook covered for 31/2 to 41/2 minutes per side.)

Serve on small hamburger buns or french bread with your choice of condiments. Makes 4 servings.

Mushroom stuffing: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Put in 3/4 pound chopped mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Put in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced onion, and 2 tablespoons dry vermouth or sherry. Stir and cook until mushrooms have released their juices, and the juices have evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely before stuffing and cooking burgers.

PER PATTY (without bread): Cal 384 (61% fat) Fat 26 g (13 g sat) Fiber 1 g Chol 107 mg Sodium 705 mg Carb 6 g Calcium 224 mg