Show Us Your Burgers

May is National Hamburger Month and in celebration of it I'm starting a thread that should be of use on LTH for months on end. Burgers have come a long way from what they were back in the day. There's millions of variations and classical regional styles as well as global takes on what makes a meat patty between a bun great, they've even gone gourmet. Let's use this thread here to discuss all the good stuff. Like grinding your own beef at home, different cooking techniques used, tips and trials of recreating those regional and global variations at in your own kitchen, lets also share recipes for our favorite burgers to make at home including any inventions we create. Everyone likes a hamburger, they never get old, although sometimes the same one over and over does. Share your ideas here.

I grilled up these last summer and loved them greatly but might never make them again due to there being so many burgers I want to try. For these I used some skirt steak patties that I got from Dorfler's Meat Market in Buffalo Grove, these things are money if I may say. I decided to top one of the burgers with a standard pickled onion recipe I use on grilled skirts steaks and for the other I went big and did grilled onions with homemade bacon bits, real Wisconsin cheddar cheese and and a fried egg on top. Warning...reading forward will make you hungry for hamburgers.


I come from the all burgers need onions camp


Grilled cheddar burger with sauteed onions mixed with bacon bits and a fried egg on top


Grilled skirt steak trimmings burger with Pickled Onions*

* 1 Lg Red Onion
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP Raw Sugar
1 TBSP Coriander
2 TBSP Olive Oil
Dash of red pepper flakes

1) Peel and slice the onion as thin as you can. Keep it whole before you do so so you have circles of onions to use as topping.

2) Combine water, vinegar and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil and proceed to pour it over the onions and then add the coriander, olive oil and red pepper flakes and let sit and cool. Drain the liquid before using although you might want to save it for other uses.


Simplicity has always worked well with hamburgers

My favorite burger bun is a grilled english muffin.

Did a burger night before last. Ground a chuck roast in the mixmaster, grilled and topped with a modified guacamole:

1 avacado, chopped
1/2 medium onion, fine chopped
1/2 TBSP tomato paste
3 TBSP chopped cilantro
1 seeded Jalapeno, chopped fine
1 TBSP lime juice

I think grinding your own meat makes a huge difference.

The complex I moved into doesn't allow charcoal ( ), so I picked up a propane grill a few weeks ago and christened it with some beautiful burgers. Beef (80%), pepper jack, pickled onion & peppers, and avocado on a nice wheat bun. Nothing fancy, nut very little is more satisfying than a solid burger.

Oxtails meat made for the best burger I made back in '09 and this thread reminded me that I haven't ground oxtail meat since. I've got a ton of grass-fed beef in the freezer right now - time to thaw some chuck or sirloin and supplement with oxtails...

-Dan

Hey Da Beef - What kind of buns did you use, they look pretty good. How was the ground skirt steak burger? I've never heard of that being used for burgers. I might have to take a little trip to Buffalo Grove, where I lived from 1997-2000.

Ram4 wrote:Hey Da Beef - What kind of buns did you use, they look pretty good.

As I said above - I love english muffins. That said, I think the bun is as important as the rest of the sandwich. I hope people tell us what they use for buns.

lougord99 wrote:I hope people tell us what they use for buns.

Labriola Pretzel Buns
http://www.labriolabaking.com/locations.htm

Ram4 wrote:Hey Da Beef - What kind of buns did you use, they look pretty good. How was the ground skirt steak burger? I've never heard of that being used for burgers. I might have to take a little trip to Buffalo Grove, where I lived from 1997-2000.

I believe those are from the store baked bun bin at Treasure Island on Clybourn. Dorfler's was great that time I went but I still haven't been back. If you do go make sure to get some skirt steaks, that's their specialty and they're phenomenal. The patties made with skirt steak and trimmings were also really good and def. worth getting a couple for grilling. I plan on getting back this summer.
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Well as long as this thread is taking off, here's another fun one to make at home. If you got kids I bet ya they'll love Juicy Lucy's. Traditionally these are made at the bars in Minneapolis/St. Paul but they work great on da grill in your backyard.



Picture Step by Step

Up L) Form two hand patties and place a slice of American cheese (cut in fours) in the middle of one patty.

Up R) Place patty w/o cheese slice on top of the one with and gently press down and go around making sure there are no air seals and the patties are fully connected.

Down L) Grill your burgers to desired doneness and use your choice of toppings. Please note I have found medium works best for these and I like mustard, grilled onions and pickles on mine.

Down R) Oozing cheese...


a Juicy lucy at home in the Chi

lougord99 wrote:My favorite burger bun is a grilled english muffin

Yep I love to use those like you. Back in my college days in Madison one of the popular eats in the wee hours of the morning was at my place....The Muff Burger. A hand smashed griddled patty with a fried egg on top along with Canadian bacon, and a slice of American cheese between a toasted English muffin bun. This is an excellent fusion burger representing three different countries.


What Da Beef eats for breakfast...or what I used to before I went to bed

and of course there's the Chicago style (with a splash of WI) charred cheddar at home.


Char grilled patty with Merkt's cheddar spread, grilled onions and Nueske's bacon

A few more ideas for all.

San Antonio Bean Burgers

I was done with my day around 3p today and needed something new. I didn't feel like traveling far so the options weren't great so instead I went to the grocery store. I already had some fresh ground beef and buns as well as Velveeta and Rotel so I picked up a few things I needed to finally try a San Antonio Bean Burger. These heart stoppers are not to be confused with the bean burgers of California which replace the beef with beans and are popular with Veg-heads.


What your going to need (plus the buns)

I refuse to believe warm sunny weather is coming anytime soon but today it was here so I brought out 'The Tex-Mex Grill and Backyard Barbacoa Cookbook' written by legendary Houston foodie/writer Robb Walsh. If you don't own this, go get it before summer, it's got some great grilling recipes with everything from regional Texas burgers like these to actual barbacoa in your backyard. In fact you should own all his books if you like real bbq or grilling recipes for big strapped and ready (Texas) men. Not only are the recipes authentic the books are great for traveling, letting you know where you need to go and the history and people behind the place. Check 'em out.

Ingredients (from the book)

4 Tex Mex burger patties, your choice of size
4 Hamburger buns
1 Cup of Refried Beans (recipe in book or your own)
1 bag of Frito's corn chips
1 Cup of Chile Con Queso (recipe in book)
Pickled Jalapeno slices
1/2 cup raw diced onion

The exact ingredients vary on where you go in San Antonio and another popular way to cook these there is over a mesquite fire. So I used some mesquite chips that were burning strong when I threw the patty on the grill. I liked this as it only took on a hint of the smoke since it was being grilled for about 8-10 minutes. Chile Con Queso is melted Velveeta chunks with grated cheddar and you can add some Ro*Tel brand diced tomatoes and green chilies in there too to make it even better, that's what the Texans do.


Ro*Tel Chile Con Queso

So before you start grilling (get the grill hot) you wanna make sure you got everything ready to go. Place the Frito's in a bag or bowl and crush them. Make sure your refried beans are next to the Fritos and hot when you add them on. Cut up the Velveeta into chunks and add it into a micro safe bowl and set aside and butter your buns.

Note: Do not melt the Velveeta until ready to eat and add in selected amount of Ro*Tel with some juice right after melting. The cheese melts fast so you gotta melt it and then use it right away.

Start off by grilling your Tex Mex Patty (hand patted beef with chopped garlic, Serrano peppers and Worcestershire sauce) until desired doneness. When you flip the patty for the first time bring out your buns and toast them on grill. Bring in the buns and burgers when ready and start making the buns by adding a layer of refried beans to the bottom parts and then dipping that in the crushed Frito's and set them aside.


The bun is ready for a bean burger

Chile Con Queso followed by raw onions go on top while the refried beans with Frito's crumbs make out the bottom part. Place the patty on the bottom bun and put the pickled jalapeno slices on top and make it into a burger. I also used banana peppers on mine.


a San Antonio Bean Burger in Chicago

I really liked these, more than I even thought that I would in fact. I've been wanting to make them for a while but they never enticed me that much to do so or I never had the time when I wanted one. As Robb Walsh explains in the Backyard Cookbook "The Fritos sound like a terrible idea, but they make the bean burger sing. The soft beans and crunchy corn chips add a new level of textural interest to the hamburger. And Fritos were invented in San Antonio, after all..."


Now off to the store to get some Tums and Rolaids...

Wow!! what a great post! I l am a big fan of Robb Walsh and have 3 of his books. Have cooked many recipes from the books and have had good luck with the way they have turned out. That burger looks dynamite!! Been making velveeta queso since I was a kid in Kansas. Great Job on taking the time for the post Beef!

wow is right, outstanding job

Da Beef wrote:"The Fritos sound like a terrible idea, but they make the bean burger sing.

Like all truly great guilty pleasures this verges on gastro masochism, can't wait to whip one up.

I'd eat it!

Dagwood burger for dinner last night: bacon, grilled jalapeno, 10 year aged cheddar, carmelized onions, tomato, avocado, grass-fed sirloin on a pretzel bun. I thought the combo might be a little over the top, but, wow was it good...



Burger cross section:

That is a thing of Beauty!! Thanks for posting, burgers sound good for dinner tonight.

For those interested in the "burger of the future," and who have lots of neat kitchen toys to play with:



Dave Arnold, who is head of the Culinary Technology department at the French Culinary Institute, trys to take burgers to the next level.

Can't say I ever forsee myself re-creating it. Looks like fun, though.

did some old school, grilddled style burgers tonight with a fried egg and merkt's cheddar served on a martin's potato roll.

A grilling/smoking thread I havnt posted on... how can that be.

Took it easy for last nights supper. Wanted a burger, but a good one. Patty mix, all ground fresh that day @ Sage's Meat Market - Morris, IL.: Brisket, sirloin, chuck.

What a great mix, flavor, fat, texture, really nice. Minimal seasoning(kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder). Quick grill over RO lump.

Topped with Merkts cheddar, Norway Farms Green leaf lettuce & tomato, as well as some yellow onion. Bun is a sourdough Englis muffin.

Possibly the best burger I have had, the flavors, and juciness of this burger were unmatched. Not greasy, the brisket added a slilky, juicy tecture to the burger. Loved the English muffin as a bun, crunchy & minimal, rally allowed the burger and few crisp toppings to shine.

brisket, sirloin, chuck:



burger and some wings:

Slagel farms burger from PQM(not as good as my blend, but damn good):

kettle, lump, swiss, fried egg, lettuce, red onion, ketchup, mayo, cheapo Wonder brand burger bun:

Butcher & Larder burger grind mixed with black garlic, s/p and cayenne grilled on Big Green Egg. Kimchi and black garlic butter to finish.

I don't need Cinco de Mayo as a reason to eat my favorite type of cuisine and drink tequila but I must admit, whenever it comes around, that's all I wanna do as far as food and drink. Maybe its all the articles online, in magazines/newspapers and shows on TV etc... For some reason these media outlets think the beginning of May is the only time people want to eat tacos. Well I was at Tony's Foods on Elston yesterday with plans to make something Mexican for dinner since that's what I was feeling like. So I decided to improv my own little Cinco de Mayo/National Hamburger Month creation as I shopped. This is the result.

A Burger with some Mexican Flair Good for all Months of the Year


Bolillo Rolls and fresh ground sirloin from the butcher counter

What Else You'll Need

- Chorizo of your choice (pork or beef)
- Mexican Crema
- Guacamole
- Pickled Red Onions (I used this recipe)
- Refried Beans
- Queso Rancherito (crumbling cheese)
- Cilantro & Limes

Preparation

I just used an old martini mixer to form the fresh ground sirloin into patties for the grill which then went in the fridge until needed. The pickled red onions are best made ahead or at the very least a few hours before. Other than that the guacamole was Tony's fresh made stuff and the refried beans I bought on the way home. I amped up the crema by adding some fresh chopped cilantro, lime and chili powder and cooked the chorizo in a skillet with chopped onions and jalapenos. After all that you can pop the buns in the oven and warm them up while grilling the burgers. I cut off the end of each bun so that it was shaped to hold the patty. Once ready start by layering the bottom part of each bun with the crema followed by some guacamole and then the pickled red onions. Place some of the hot refried beans on the top part of the bun and then shred some of the rancherito on top of that so it melts.


Assembled Buns

Once ready for the meat, place the burger patty on the bottom bun and then add the chorizo to the top part and pat it into the refried beans so it all holds together.


My own Mexican inspired Burger Creation

Serve it with whatever you want alongside and drink anything you want while you eat it. Just don't forget to wear a bib.


Happy Grilling

First, apologies for the picture. It was an iPhone, no natural light, and I wasn't in the mood to set up anything fancy. However, this might be an idea worth sharing.



I was driving around today with a White Castle craving and thoughts of making sliders at home, when inexplicably something reminded me of chicken wings. So, with burgers already on my mind, I began thinking about how to make a better Buffalo chicken sandwich or burger. All the ones I've ever had disappointed me. Lifeless, dull chicken breast, occasionally breaded, doused in Frank's, with lettuce and tomato. Or something of that nature. Never liked the damned things--at least not how I've had them.

So what makes a deep fried chicken wing so great? That crispy skin, right? (Or at least that skin:meat ratio is a big part of the appeal. It ain't all about the sauce.) A lightbulb went off in my head. Why not top the sandwich with a layer of crispy chicken skin? And then a slaw of celery and carrots, tossed in a blue cheese dressing? Eureka!

I decided to go with ground chicken and make a burger instead of a chicken filet, because I was in the mood for the softer texture of a burger. I fried up four large pieces of chicken skin from a whole chicken I bought, got them nice & crispy. I pan fried the ground chicken (which I formed into patties and seasoned with some Cajun seasoning) until they were done. The patties were about 1/5 pound each. This was about keeping the ratio of skin:chicken in balance. Off to the side, I had some Franks & margarine heating in a sauce pan (yes, I said margarine), toasted my Pete's Market Kaiser buns under the broiler, and fixed up a slaw of celery and carrots, with a blue cheese dressing (Gorgonzola, yogurt, mayo, black pepper.) When everything was ready, I assembled the sandwich: chicken patty on bun, dipped the chicken skins in the Frank's, placed them atop the burger, topped off with the celery-carrot slaw. I may have put another half teaspoon or so of Frank's on the burger, but I didn't want the burger to be drowning in it. The amount of sauce that stuck to the chicken skins was just about the right amount for the sandwich.

And you know what? In my opinion, it really worked well. Those chicken skins really made the difference in making this sandwich evoke the essence of Buffalo chicken wings. I'm going to have to test this out on a bigger audience.

Oh My, that looks and sounds friggin' tasty... well played sir!

Binko wrote:First, apologies for the picture. It was an iPhone, no natural light, and I wasn't in the mood to set up anything fancy. However, this might be an idea worth sharing.



I was driving around today with a White Castle craving and thoughts of making sliders at home, when inexplicably something reminded me of chicken wings. So, with burgers already on my mind, I began thinking about how to make a better Buffalo chicken sandwich or burger. All the ones I've ever had disappointed me. Lifeless, dull chicken breast, occasionally breaded, doused in Frank's, with lettuce and tomato. Or something of that nature. Never liked the damned things--at least not how I've had them.

So what makes a deep fried chicken wing so great? That crispy skin, right? (Or at least that skin:meat ratio is a big part of the appeal. It ain't all about the sauce.) A lightbulb went off in my head. Why not top the sandwich with a layer of crispy chicken skin? And then a slaw of celery and carrots, tossed in a blue cheese dressing? Eureka!

I decided to go with ground chicken and make a burger instead of a chicken filet, because I was in the mood for the softer texture of a burger. I fried up four large pieces of chicken skin from a whole chicken I bought, got them nice & crispy. I pan fried the ground chicken (which I formed into patties and seasoned with some Cajun seasoning) until they were done. The patties were about 1/5 pound each. This was about keeping the ratio of skin:chicken in balance. Off to the side, I had some Franks & margarine heating in a sauce pan (yes, I said margarine), toasted my Pete's Market Kaiser buns under the broiler, and fixed up a slaw of celery and carrots, with a blue cheese dressing (Gorgonzola, yogurt, mayo, black pepper.) When everything was ready, I assembled the sandwich: chicken patty on bun, dipped the chicken skins in the Frank's, placed them atop the burger, topped off with the celery-carrot slaw. I may have put another half teaspoon or so of Frank's on the burger, but I didn't want the burger to be drowning in it. The amount of sauce that stuck to the chicken skins was just about the right amount for the sandwich.

And you know what? In my opinion, it really worked well. Those chicken skins really made the difference in making this sandwich evoke the essence of Buffalo chicken wings. I'm going to have to test this out on a bigger audience.

I am trying to recreate New Mexico green chili burgers. The recipes I looked at say to use Hatch Chilis. I substituted Pobalno for the Hatch and I loved the end result.

However, I have never eaten real Green chili burgers. I don't know how mine compared to the real thing. Does anyone have a better suggestion for a Hatch Chili substitute than Poblano?

lougord99 wrote:I am trying to recreate New Mexico green chili burgers. The recipes I looked at say to use Hatch Chilis. I substituted Pobalno for the Hatch and I loved the end result.

However, I have never eaten real Green chili burgers. I don't know how mine compared to the real thing. Does anyone have a better suggestion for a Hatch Chili substitute than Poblano?

Anaheims are much closer to Hatch chilis than poblanos. Actually, they are the same thing, just not grown in Hatch, NM.

stevez wrote:

lougord99 wrote:I am trying to recreate New Mexico green chili burgers. The recipes I looked at say to use Hatch Chilis. I substituted Pobalno for the Hatch and I loved the end result.

However, I have never eaten real Green chili burgers. I don't know how mine compared to the real thing. Does anyone have a better suggestion for a Hatch Chili substitute than Poblano?

Anaheims are much closer to Hatch chilis than poblanos. Actually, they are the same thing, just not grown in Hatch, NM.

The Hatch chiles I've had in green chile cheeseburgers have typically been much hotter than an Anaheim (and Hatches vary considerably in terms of heat). So when I've tried to recreate these burgers at home and I don't have Hatch chiles (which is most of the time), I've incorporated serranos and jalapenos into the mix with Anaheims (and nothing wrong with a little Poblano too).

Thanks. I'll give those a try.

Binko,

If you look under the forum for "Shopping and Cooking" I noticed there is a thread dated 2/15/2012 on where you can buy just the chicken skin, without having to buy the whole chicken.

bw77 wrote:Binko,

If you look under the forum for "Shopping and Cooking" I noticed there is a thread dated 2/15/2012 on where you can buy just the chicken skin, without having to buy the whole chicken.

Link here:

Sources for Chicken Skin?

=R=

i regret no pictures of my doing these, but here is a 19 photo "how to do it" for an awesome bacon cheeseburger that we did.
My kid loved them. http://thechive.com/2012/04/04/a-bacon-cheeseburger-to-end-all-bacon-cheeseburgers-19-photos/

My better two-thirds hated them because she likes her burgers very thin and overcooked.
So for her from now on we do the bacon cheeseburger patties sold by these people that are just grilled up:
http://www.newtonmeatsinc.com/