Meet the latest burger. It has cast away the layers of condiments, the mountain of add-ons that turned the basic burger into a tower of toppings. Burgers have a new mantra: Stop piling it on and start mixing it in.
Instead of putting cheese, bacon and mushrooms – and let’s not forget all the sauces – on top, burgers now are getting seasoned from the inside out.
The bacon cheddar burger is a melt-in-your-mouth combination of ground beef, grated cheese, diced smoky bacon and golden onions, perfectly proportioned and mixed together. Other pairings might include a Swiss-mushroom burger that bypasses the bacon altogether or a spicy jalapeno-laced turkey burger.
“People were getting tired of the plain old hamburger,” said Theo Weening, meat coordinator for Whole Foods Markets.
So last year, Whole Foods rolled out a line of burgers ranging from the bacon and blue to veal Florentine with the flavors stuffed inside.
When Balducci’s started polling customers about what they wanted to see in the meat counters, burgers topped the list, said Kevin McDade, the retailer’s meat and poultry merchant. The decision to introduce the seasoned, ready-to-cook burgers in the stores this summer was based on customer feedback. Store-bought burgers offer convenience, but there’s no reason not to create them in your own kitchens. Anybody looking for a lot of flavor without too much fuss can easily whip up these burgers at home.
The add-ons are diced, sometimes cooked and then mixed right into the ground meat of choice. In fact, you can mix in many of the ingredients you probably had ready to pile on top of the burger. The whole process takes only a few minutes. Even when the ingredients are cooked before being added to the meat, the burgers can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes.
This recipe uses the seasonings that give a Bloody Mary its zing. Serve these burgers with onion rolls.
For the burgers:
1 1/2pounds ground beef, preferably chuck or sirloin
1 1/2tablespoons ketchup
A few dashes hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1/2teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2teaspoon celery salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the glaze:
1/4cup ketchup
Dash hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon Worcester-shire sauce
For the burgers: In a large bowl, combine the burger ingredients. Be careful not to overwork the meat; mix just enough to combine. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and form each into a patty about 3/4-inch thick.
For the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and set aside.
Saute or grill burgers 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the burgers over and brush cooked side with the glaze. Cook second side to desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes for medium.
Makes 6 burgers.
Choose a smoky, full-flavored bacon for this burger, which takes a traditional topping and mixes it right into the meat.
The cheese in the burger helps form a crusty exterior, adding another layer of flavor.
2ounces smoked bacon (2 slices of thick-cut bacon), diced
1/2cup diced onion
1 1/2pounds ground beef, preferably chuck or sirloin
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Nonstick spray oil or vegetable oil, if needed
In a small saute pan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until the fat renders out. Do not allow the bacon to crisp. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the onion pieces are translucent and have softened. The bacon should still be soft. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to a plate to cool. Discard excess fat.
In a medium bowl, combine the cooled bacon-onion mixture, the beef, pepper to taste and the cheddar cheese. Be careful not to overwork the meat; mix the ingredients just enough to combine them. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and form each into a patty about 3/4-inch thick.
Saute, broil or grill to desired doneness, turning once, about 8 to 10 minutes for medium. If sauteing, spray the pan or griddle with a nonstick oil spray or lightly coat it with oil. The cheese in the burger will make the outside crusty, and the burger might stick even in a nonstick pan.
Makes 6 burgers.
For a more indulgent burger, place a slice of smoked cheddar cheese over the cooked side of each burger after it is flipped.
1tablespoon olive oil
2jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4cup finely chopped scallions, both white and green parts
1teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2pounds ground turkey, preferably white meat
2ounces smoked cheddar cheese, grated
Nonstick spray oil or vegetable oil, if needed
Salsa, optional
In a small saute pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the jalapeno peppers and scallions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine; transfer the mixture to a plate to cool.
Generously coat a griddle or saute pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook the burgers until cooked completely through, turning once, about 12 minutes.
Serve with salsa, if desired.
Makes 6 burgers.
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