Summer is almost here. And for many that means burger season. Whether you like them meaty or veggie, topped with cheese and onions or plain-Jane, few foods are more quintessentially American and universally beloved than the hamburger.
BURGER TIPS
• Middle ground. Whether grilling, broiling or pan frying, temperature is important. Too hot and the burgers will burn on the outside before the inside is cooked to a safe temperature. Too cool and the burgers will take too long to cook. Medium heat is best, and an enclosed space will retain heat better and help ensure moist burgers -- so keep the grill closed or use a lid when pan-frying.
• Fat is good. If making burgers with lean meat (85 percent or leaner), poultry or fish, add a little broth or oil to the mix to help keep them moist. Fat not only makes a juicier burger, it makes a tastier one, too. We've found beef chuck (80 percent lean) is ideal for meaty, yet juicy, burgers.
• Use a light touch. Overworking the meat mixture will produce a tough burger. Mix the meat and ingredients until just combined.
• Size matters. We think for grilled burgers the ideal size is 5 to 6 ounces of meat formed into a ¾-inch-thick patty. Pan-fried or griddle-cooked burgers, especially if charred, crispy edges are desired, should be smaller, 3 to 4 ounces of beef. To keep burgers from swelling in the middle, make a small indention in the center of the patty with your thumb or the back of a large spoon before cooking. As the burger cooks, the indention will fill, and the burger will flatten.
Speaking of flattening, don't squash burgers with the back of a spatula unless the recipe instructs you to. As satisfying as it may be to hear that sizzling sound, pressing burgers with the back of a spatula releases essential moisture and can cause dangerous flare-ups on the grill.
• Safety check. Beef burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees; 165 degrees for poultry and pork. An instant-read thermometer, inserted horizontally, provides the most accurate reading. Color is not necessarily an indicator of doneness. The pH, age and cut can affect the color of cooked meat. Beef can lose its pink color before it reaches 160 degrees. And some ingredients, including onions, may cause beef to keep its pink color even when cooked to 160 degrees. For details, visit tinyurl.com/groundbeefsafety.
All-Purpose Burger Seasoning
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
Combine all ingredients in a small glass jar, preferably with a shaker top, and mix well. Sprinkle on hamburger patties before cooking.
Makes about 2 tablespoons.
This sauce is equally good slathered on a burger or used as a dipping sauce for french fries.
Sriracha Mayonnaise
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional
1 teaspoon lime juice
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Makes about 1/4 cup.
For burgers with crispy edges, skip the grill and grab a cast-iron skillet or griddle.
Classic Diner Burgers
½ teaspoon neutral oil, like canola, or a pat of unsalted butter
2 pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
All-Purpose Burger Seasoning (see previous recipe) or salt and black pepper to taste
8 slices cheese, optional
4 to 8 soft hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and condiments, as desired
Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 8 small piles of about 4 ounces each, and even more gently gather them together into orbs that are about 2 inches in height. Do not form patties.
Increase heat under skillet to high. Put half the orbs into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and, using a stiff metal spatula, press down on each one to form a burger that is about 1/2 inch thick. (We placed a small piece of parchment paper between the meat and the spatula to keep the spatula from sticking.) Season with burger seasoning or salt and pepper.
Cook without moving until patties have achieved a deep, burnished crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Use the spatula to scrape free and carefully turn burgers over. Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes more, laying the cheese over the beef during the last minute of cooking. Remove burgers from skillet, place on buns and top as desired.
Makes 8 burgers.
Recipe adapted from Sam Sifton, The New York Times
These burgers, with deeply golden brown onions cooked right into the patty, are best made in a cast-iron skillet.
Oklahoma Onion Burgers
1 medium onion, halved and very thinly sliced
Salt and ground black pepper
12 ounces ground beef (80 percent to 85 percent lean)
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 potato hamburger buns
4 slices American cheese
Yellow mustard
Dill pickles
Combine the onion slices and about 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and let stand for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. (This draws out some of the moisture from the onions.) Transfer to a clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels, gather edges, and squeeze onion slices dry.
Spread the squeeze-dried onions on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Toss to combine. Divide onion mixture into 4 (2-inch) mounds. Divide ground beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Place balls on top of onion mounds and flatten beef firmly so onion adheres and patties measure 4 inches in diameter.
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add butter and oil and heat until butter melts. Using a spatula, place patties onion-side down in skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onion is deep golden brown and beginning to crisp around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
Flip burgers and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes. Lay the top bun over each patty to steam while it finishes cooking. Place 1 slice of cheese on each bottom bun, then top with a burger patty and bun. Remove top bun, dress burger patty with mustard and pickles, replace top bun and serve.
Makes 4 burgers.
Recipe adapted from Cook's Country Cook It in Cast Iron
Lemon-Butter Stuffed Turkey Burgers
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped flatleaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (white and dark meat)
Vegetable oil for brushing
4 sesame seed buns
1 tomato, sliced
Arugula leaves
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, herbs, lemon zest and juice, a small pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper; mix well.
Measure 1/3 cup of the butter mixture. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. Shape into a 3-inch log; wrap well. Freeze until firm. Set the remaining butter aside.
Cut the frozen butter log into 4 equal rounds. Flatten each round to a 2-inch-diameter disc.
Divide meat into four equal portions. With wet hands, form each portion into a ball. Using your thumb, make a deep, wide indentation in the center of each. Press a butter round flatly into the indentation, then press meat securely over to close. Flatten to form a 3 1/2-inch patty. Repeat with remaining butter discs and meat portions.
Burgers can be made 6 hours ahead to this point. Place the shaped, butter-filled patties on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To grill: Heat grill to medium. Brush grate with vegetable oil. Season each patty with salt and pepper. Grill patties about 5 minutes per side, turning once or until patties reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Spread the remaining butter on the cut sides of the buns and grill buns until lightly charred or toasted, about 1 minute.
To pan-fry: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a dab of butter. When butter foams, add the patties and cook, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once, or until burgers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Serve on buns topped with tomato slices and arugula.
Makes 4 burgers.
Recipe adapted from The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide From Bon Appetit, edited by Adam Rapoport
Pinto Bean and Corn Burgers
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for cooking
2 teaspoons cumin powder, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 to 2 teaspoons chile powder
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans OR 3 cups cooked pinto beans, drained (do not rinse), divided use
2/3 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
Cornmeal, as needed
4 to 6 soft hamburger buns
Desired toppings such as leaf lettuce, sliced onion, sliced tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise
In a medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Add the cumin, paprika, chile powder, salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of the beans.
In a food processor, pulse the oats a few times and then add the sauteed onion-garlic-bean mixture. Process until well combined but still somewhat chunky.
Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining cup of beans and the corn and mix well with your hands. If the mixture is too wet to form into patties, add some cornmeal.
Shape mixture into 4 to 6 patties. Chill patties until firm.
Patties can be baked, grilled or pan-fried.
To bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and place patties on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, for 30 to 35 minutes. To grill or pan-fry, cook until heated through, turning once.
Makes 4 to 6 burgers.
Food on 05/25/2016