As warmer weather is here, we shift from enjoying football and basketball to swimming and baseball. From cold, dark nights to long summer days. From a fireplace to a firepit, and from comfort food to cookouts. I love summer cooking and there is just something about a hamburger that screams summertime to me. The big debate at my house is how to prepare the best hamburger. As with everything in life, it is a matter of taste, and what is perfect for one, might be second rate to another. I love a good flame grilled patty with lots of “grill marks” but not my son. He likes his burger cooked in a skillet with pan sauce.
I have started making “smashed” burgers reminiscent of an old burger/custard place from my childhood that perfected getting the most delicious crispy edges on the patty. I have even had great success preparing turkey or chicken burgers and even a very flavorful black bean veggie burger, but that is another article. This one is about a good, old fashioned beef burger, and below are several recipes for our favorite variations.
Grilled Burger
A good grill may be as important as the meat for this recipe. Once, when our grill was past its lifespan. I set up for a big birthday party cookout. The burgers were perfectly prepped until I started cooking them. The grill grates were so old that they were falling apart, and several people complained that they were eating the metal off my grill. Not entirely untrue so plan to clean and prep your grill before cooking.
Another important part of a good burger is the meat-to-fat ratio. Too lean and the burger is tough; too fatty and the burger is a greasy mess. Most experts (and I am not one) agree to an 80:20 mix as the best, and that is what we use.
1 1/2 pound fresh ground meat, 80:20 mix
4 slices cheese
4 fresh hamburger buns
Salt and pepper, to taste
Condiments of your choice
Heat grill on high and be sure to scrape and clean before using. Divide meat into eight patties (I like a wide, thin patty but others prefer a thick patty that fits inside the bun).
Once meat is patted out, make a small shallow thumbprint in the middle of each. This will reduce the likelihood that the burger will shrink into a round ball when cooking, and it will also allow the burger to cook more evenly in the middle.
Once grill is hot, carefully place burgers on hot grates and season with salt and pepper. Cook about two minutes watching for any flames. Carefully flip burgers and season other side. Do not press burgers or flip more than once as this will dry out the patty. Allow to cook about two to four minutes longer depending on your grill, thickness of patties and your desired doneness. Top with cheese and serve on a toasted bun with your choice of condiments.
Smashed Burgers
with Cheese
I do not know where my “smashed burger” craze began, but I remember going to a little hamburger shack growing up and ordering a double (or triple) cheeseburger. It would arrive with the thinnest patties, melted cheese, and these delicious crispy edges. AMAZING! The burgers were cooked on a huge flat top griddle, and the buns were always fresh and steamed with the burger just before serving.
I have seen a lot of smashed burger tutorials online and continue to try to recreate this delicious style of burger.
1 pound fresh ground chuck
8 slices good sliced cheese of your choice, we use cheddar
Season salt
1 white onion (I am normally not a big onion person but trust me on this. The grilled onion is a great addition).
Hamburger buns
Cut onion very thinly into half-moon, slices, and soak in a bowl of ice water for at least 10 minutes.
While the onion soaks, divide the meat into eight pieces and roll each into a ball. Set aside while you heat up a well-seasoned cast iron griddle or large skillet on high.
When skillet is hot, carefully put in about two tablespoons of the onions and top with one of the meatballs. Using a heavy-duty spatula and a parchment square. If needed, carefully smash the burger and onion down with a spatula until it is as flat as you can make it. Spread the meat out to the sides as thin as you can make it. Sprinkle with season salt, and repeat with remaining onions and meat.
The burger cooks quickly as it is very thin so you may need to flip quickly. Using a sturdy spatula, flip burgers, being careful to scrape up all the brown crunchy bits. Season again if desired and top with cheese. Once cheese has melted and burger is cooked, top with the bun and allow to steam for about a minute.
Remove from heat, assemble burger, and top as you would prefer.
Selby’s Camp
Burgers Au jus
At my son’s summer camp, they would serve hamburgers every Sunday, and he loved them. The patties were served in huge trays and were covered in a beefy sauce to keep them from drying out. He loves this burger, and my husband has perfected the recipe.
2 pounds ground chuck, divided into 8-10 patties
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (We use Lea and Perrins, and it makes a difference.)
1-2 tablespoons Better Than Beef, beef bouillon paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups hot water
Black pepper, garlic powder, salt to taste
Buns, cheese, condiments
Season and brown patties in skillet for about five minutes on each side. Set them aside. They do not need to be completely cooked as they will finish in the sauce.
Once the meat is browned, drain off any fat and add the water, bouillon, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add additional seasonings as needed. When the sauce has reduced to the consistency you like, add the burgers back to the pan and finish them in the sauce.
Burgers can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator and slowly heated in the sauce. Serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.
Square Hamburger Sliders
Another option that we sometimes make is my version of a Krystal burger.
2 pounds lean ground chuck
1 envelope onion soup mix
Salt/pepper or season salt to taste
American cheese slices
24 small square dinner rolls
Mustard and hamburger dills for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the hamburgers: Mix meat, onion soup mix, and seasonings. Press into an ungreased 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Be sure to pat meat into a thin and even layer. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. When burgers have finished cooking, drain off any fat. Cool slightly and then cut meat into 24 squares.
Cut or split dinner rolls in half and top with mustard, pickle, cheese and one piece of meat. Put hamburgers on a cookie sheet and cover with foil. Warm in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes until cheese melts.
Patty Melt with Swiss Cheese and Caramelized Onions
The patty melt combines two of the greatest sandwiches ideas – the grilled cheese and the hamburger. This is the version I use but try your favorite combination.
1 pound 80:20 fresh ground meat
8 slices Texas toast from the freezer section, thawed, lightly toasted
4 slices Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Slow Cooker caramelized onions (recipe below)
Shape meat into four patties, roughly the same size as the Texas toast and season with salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons butter to a large skillet and heat on high, add the patties to the skillet and cook for about two minutes on each side.
Once patty is cooked to desired doneness, top each with about one to two tablespoons of caramelized onions and a slice of Swiss cheese. Allow cheese to melt.
Top a piece of Texas toast with one patty including the onions and cheese, and then cover with another piece of toast. Use a spatula to press sandwich down and cut in half to serve.
Slow Cooker
Caramelize Onions
Peel and thinly slice about four pounds of onions. I usually slice into thin circles or half-moon shapes. Toss onions with about four tablespoons of melted butter and a tablespoon of kosher salt. (You can also add in a few cloves of peeled garlic.)
Place in a crockpot and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally and cook until onions are sweet and brown.
Serve immediately or put in small containers and freeze as needed.
Hamburger “Special Sauce”
No burger would be complete without some special sauce. Whether it is mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, or whatever combination you prefer, consider this sauce that is very similar to the “secret sauce’ for the Big Mac.
It is best made at least one hour before serving and can be stored in the refrigerator.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon yellow or brown deli mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Feel free to add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or Sirach to spice it up a bit.
Blue Cheese Coleslaw
This recipe was shared by my former pastor who enjoyed cooking almost as much as preaching. He hosted many cookouts for our church and this was one of his specialties. It makes a flavorful side dish to hamburgers.
1 bag of shredded cabbage slaw
1 small head red cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
About 8 ounces blue cheese (more if you really like blue cheese)
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all together at least 1 hour before serving. Adjust vinegar, oil and dressing to suit your taste.
Frozen Fruit Salad
Part dessert and part salad, this is a summer treat, an old family favorite. My mom would serve it dessert or as our “salad.” Often, she would put it on a piece of iceberg lettuce. This screams the 1970s and is so good.
1 large can peaches, drained and chopped
1 large can apricots, drained and chopped
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 bananas, sliced
1 10 ounce package frozen strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 small can frozen orange juice
Put sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple juice and a small sauce pan, and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add orange juice and allow to cool.
Mix fruit and cooled juices, and pour into a 9 x 13 glass dish. Freeze until hard and when ready to serve, cut into squares, and serve on a bed of lettuce.
S’mores Brownies
I first made this delicious treat for my daughter’s second grade class. That was many years ago, but they were so good that when my daughter graduated from high school, a fellow classmate listed them as one of the best things they had ever eaten at school. Too funny, but they are really good.
For the crust:
2 1/4 cups or about 14 graham cracker boards, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
For the brownie filling:
6 ounces, bitter-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 sticks butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup all purpose, flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
For the topping:
1 - 7.5-ounce jar, marshmallow cream or about 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips
3 graham cracker boards, broken into large pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl until dry ingredients are evenly moistened. I normally do this in my food processor. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13” baking pan and press crumbs evenly over the bottom. Refrigerate the crust until chilled and set.
To make the brownie filling: combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter in a microwave safe dish, and cook about one minute in the microwave until chocolate and butter are melted. Stir the chocolate mixture until smooth.
In a mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until well blended. Reduce the speed to medium and continually beat, adding the melted chocolate and butter. Pour in the eggs and scrape down the sides until all ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the flour and salt into the egg mixture. Stir in the vanilla until smooth.
Spread the brownie mixture onto the crust, and smooth out the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Mix the topping: While the brownie layer is baking, whisk together the marshmallow cream and milk in a small bowl until the mixture as well blended and smooth. You might need to microwave the marshmallow cream for about 10 seconds to soften it before you add the milk. Blend until smooth.
When brownie is finished baking, pour marshmallow topping over the brownie layer in the pan and spread until the topping covers the brownie layer completely. Sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips and scatter the broken graham cracker pieces over the top.
Bake for an additional three minutes in the 350 degrees oven until chocolate kisses are slightly glossy and marshmallow topping is set. Allow pan to cook completely and then cut into bars.
