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Recipe Give me your burger recipes/ideas/techniques!!

Discussion in 'Tilted Food' started by Borla, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    One of my all time favorite go-to foods is a burger. I love a classic cheeseburger, and I love being creative and adding all kinds of stuff to it to make it unique. Over the last several years I've experimented with an incredible variety of techniques and ingredients in search of awesome varities of burgers. I'll post a few, then please add in what you do to make a great burger.

    I'll warn you though, I am solidily in the camp of "ketchup is for french fries and kids under 9". *squint* :p

    A few tips for a good burger. First, fat adds flavor. Yes we all know that's not good for your arteries. If you are using ground beef for tacos, spaghetti, or other recipes, go lean. But you need at least 85/15 (or as much as 75/25) for a great, flavorful burger. Second, pat don't press. If you press your burgers together too tightly when forming them, they dry out more easily while cooking. Most of the time you don't want to press them while cooking either, or you get the same effect. Third, cast iron is your friend. Aside from putting it on a grill, cooking on a hot, seasoned cast iron skillet will give the best results.

    Now, on to some recipes.

    1) 1lb ground beef
    2 yellow onions
    4-6 hamburger buns
    salt
    mustard
    2-3tsp of canola oil (optional)
    American cheese (optional)

    Form the beef into 4-6 equal patties. You don't want them too thick for this recipe. Slice the yellow onions into very thin slices, then cut the slices in 1/2 or 1/3rds. Put the oil in the skillet (unless you are grilling) with the heat on high. Throw the patties in the skillet, and pile the thinly sliced onions on top of the burgers. Flip halfway through, so now the onions are on the bottom, and lightly push the burger down into the onion. Cook until you get the desired doneness. If you want, throw a slice of cheese on top of the burger about halfway through cooking on the second side. Best served on a toasted bun with plain mustard.

    2) 1lb lean ground beef (you'll see why lean this time in a second)
    1lb hot ground sausage (see why you want lean beef?)
    1-2 tbsp cajun seasoning
    jalapenos (optional)
    1-2 tsp habanero pepper powder
    1 minced onion
    1 sliced onion
    cheddar and/or pepperjack cheese
    1-2 cloves minced garlic
    BBQ sauce
    pretzel rolls

    Mix the beef, sausage, diced jalapenos, diced onions, cajun seasoning, jalapenos, habanero pepper powder, minced onions, and minced garlic thoroughly. Adjust the hotter ingredients depending on how much heat you want. Grill/cook, maybe a touch more done than you would with a plain burger, since it has ground pork in it. Sautee the sliced onion. Throw the cheese on partway through (with recipes like this, I like to use a lump of shredded cheese instead of a slice of cheese, it melts better, try it!). Serve with BBQ sauce on the pretzel roll.

    I have tons more recipes, but that's hopefully enough to get the ball rolling. :)
     
    Borla, Oct 3, 2011
    #1
  2. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I don't cook burgers very often anymore, but there was a time when I was paid to cook burgers (good ones). The place I worked at had a stuffed burger that changed every week, and I was usually responsible for making up the stuffed burgers. There are two ways to stuff a burger: using regular ground beef and using preformed patties. When you use regular ground beef, it helps to add an egg to seal the stuffing inside of the burger. You can use other meats, but using meats with lower fat content means you'll need to use more eggs. Our lamb burger took a lot of egg to hold the damn thing together.

    Suggestions for stuffing:
    Pepperoni, mozzarella, pizza sauce
    Blue cheese and mushrooms
    Pepperjack, peppers, onions
    Jalapenos and cheese (your choice)
     
    snowy, Oct 3, 2011
    #2
  3. fflowley

    fflowley Don't just do something, stand there!

    You've already touched on my secret.
    Which is : Ground pork.
    Mix it 50/50 with your beef, then do your usual machinations.
    Guarantee it's better than a pure beef burger.
     
    fflowley, Oct 3, 2011
    #3
  4. CoffeeBee

    CoffeeBee Slightly Tilted

    I don't have any recipes to share, but I have been watching a few shows on the Food Network. I have seen them put an egg cooked over easy on a burger and I have been wanting to try it. Have you ever done that before?
     
    CoffeeBee, Oct 3, 2011
    #4
  5. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Yep, I've tried that, with good results. I like it with an egg, slice of alvocado, and white American cheese. :)

    Lots of my ideas have come from Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, or other FN shows. I either try to replicate it at home, or take pieces of their recipe or technique and adapt it to my tastes.
     
    Borla, Oct 3, 2011
    #5
  6. Craven Morehead

    Craven Morehead Very Tilted

    Location:
    third rock from the sun
    Sometimes as a break from the regular I'll make olive burgers. Normal beef patties, but chop up green olives (remove the pimento) and mayonnaise as the only condiments and melted provolone cheese on the bun.
     
    Craven Morehead, Oct 3, 2011
    #6
  7. fflowley

    fflowley Don't just do something, stand there!

    We went to a new pizza place last night.
    One of the pizzas was served with a fresh egg on top over easy.
    New for me and I rather enjoyed it!
     
    fflowley, Oct 3, 2011
    #7
  8. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    Last time I was grilling burgers, I used a mix of 2/3 extra-lean beef to 1/3 lamb, and it was fucking awesome. I mixed into the burger meat a little cracked black pepper, some olive oil, a couple splashes of dry red wine, a big splash of worcestershire sauce, and an entire head of roasted garlic. Then I put the whole big lump of burger meat into a ziploc baggie with some more red wine, the zest of 1/2 and orange (peeled off in a single strip), and half an onion, and let it marinate overnight. Next day, I made the patties, grilled them, and served on organic whole wheat buns with carmelized onion cooked with dry white wine and pepper, a little honey dijon, and some homemade pomegranate ketchup. Kicked ass.
     
    Levite, Oct 3, 2011
    #8
  9. Grasshopper Green

    Grasshopper Green Getting Tilted

    Location:
    Tiptoeing through the tulips
    Are you sure you're a teacher (rabbi? teaching rabbi?) and not a professional chef/cook/food maker? Your recipes always sound divine. I have yet to make your meatloaf as we've had social obligations the past two weekends, but it's still on my to-do list.
     
    Grasshopper Green, Oct 3, 2011
    #9
    • Like Like x 1
  10. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    Ha! Thank you! I really am a rabbi and teacher, but it was a close call. The whole week I was writing my application essays for rabbinical school, I had filled out applications for three major culinary schools sitting on my desk, because I really couldn't decide which way to go....
     
    Levite, Oct 3, 2011
    #10
  11. Daval

    Daval Getting Tilted

    I do the pork/beef mix but sometimes as was mentioned previously I'll add some lamb too, but you still need the fat content.

    I do like to put cheese, or chili's, or sauteed onions sometimes inbetween two patties.

    never press on your burger as it cooks, you'll just push all the juice out, leave it alone!
     
    Daval, Oct 4, 2011
    #11
  12. grumpyolddude

    grumpyolddude Very Tilted

    Location:
    Metro Detroit, Michigan, USA
    Shout into the clown's face. Drive around to the window.:D
     
    grumpyolddude, Oct 4, 2011
    #12
    • Like Like x 2
  13. Bear Cub

    Bear Cub Goes down smooth.

    Location:
    At the bar, eyeing the pretty one.
    I like to put garlic powder, minced onion, and Worcestershire sauce into the ground beef, and top with sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, blue cheese, and peppered bacon.
     
    Bear Cub, Oct 8, 2011
    #13
  14. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    I made Red Curry Burgers. I mix a homemade Thai Red Curry Paste with some ground pork and beef and then grilled them off. Spicy. Fragrant. Delicious.

    Thai Red Curry Paste
    Ingredients:
    3 shallots, sliced
    1 stalk lemongrass - see instructions below
    1-3 red chillies (depending on desired spiciness) or 1-3 teaspoons Thai red chilli sauce
    3 cloves garlic
    1 thumb-size piece galangal, peeled and sliced (may be substituted with ginger)
    ¼ tsp. white pepper (may be substituted with black pepper)
    1 tsp. ground cumin
    2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground with pestle & mortar (or a coffee grinder)
    3 Tbsp. fish sauce (available at Asian grocers), or vegetarian 'fish' sauce (or soy sauce if unavailable)
    1 kaffir lime leaf (available in the freezer of your local Asian grocery store)
    1 tsp. shrimp paste (optional if vegetarian)
    1 tsp. sugar
    1 1/2 Tbsp. regular chilli powder
    1/3 cup coconut milk (or more - enough to keep the blades turning)

    Preparation:

    Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process well.
    Before serving, always do a taste test. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce, or soy sauce). If too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too spicy, add more coconut milk or a little plain yogurt.

    When serving, sprinkle fresh coriander and/or ground nuts over the curry.
    Store paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (or longer - the spices will help to preserve it).
     
    Charlatan, Oct 9, 2011
    #14
    • Like Like x 1
  15. Daval

    Daval Getting Tilted

    Sound yummy!
     
    Daval, Oct 11, 2011
    #15
  16. Python

    Python Getting Tilted

    Location:
    Land of the Vikings
    I just make burgers out of "leaf steaks", basically it's a very thin side of beef. Thought I'd make one today, and throw some bacon in the mix. Tastes like the burgers you'd get from gas stations where I live (and they're actually really good).
     
    Python, Oct 11, 2011
    #16