Food Porn…Burgers and Red Wine
I would like to state on record that I have nothing against Vegetarians and Vegans. Some of my closest friends, at some point in their lives, were anti-flesh. I even dabbled with being a vegetarian in my twenties. I blame it on the loose culture in San Francisco…damn hippies!! Whatever the case, I’ve gotten over that. Do not get me wrong, I love vegetables, and I make some very delicious vegetarian dishes regularly, but I like meat.
Saturday is my Monday, however it is still the weekend. So when I’m not too tired to cook, I like to eat like it’s the weekend, even though it isn’t my weekend. So tonight we had burgers. Hand pressed, well seasoned burgers, topped with mushrooms and brie. I have obviously not jumped on the “Oh it’s new year! I should starve myself and get a gym membership to collect dust” bandwagon. Again, I am not knocking anybody who uses the new year to jump start weight loss, I have just learned that being sensible throughout the year is a better route. (I lost 40 lbs last year and kept it off…moderation baby!)
Let me start by saying this: Buns Matter! You wouldn’t wear tennis shoes with an evening gown, so why put a delicious burger on one of those tiny store buns? I get good buns! If I don’t make them myself, I like to get the fresh buns from my local bakery (If you are in Chicago, Pete’s Fresh Market makes a really good bun). Target also sells really good buns, in a pinch.
Now to the burger…
Well, no special recipe here. My burgers are actually pretty simple:
- 1/2 lb 70/30 ground beef
- 1 lb 90/10 ground sirloin
- 3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs black pepper
- 1tbs garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt (fine)
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 tbs olive oil
What to do:
- Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Cool too room temperature.
- Combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
- Form burgers into patties (I have a really cool burger press)
- Cover patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
Cooking:
Use a cast iron skillet…
Heat skillet (Get it nice and hot!). Cook to desired temperature.
I should say this, I do not like raw burgers. I sear my burgers on both side, then finish them in a 375 degree oven for 8 minutes. They have a nice crust on the outside, are cooked through and juicy. Just my preference…I do not judge those who prefer their meat a little less done. It is just not my thing!
For the burgers pictured, I topped them with Dijon mustard, melted brie, and sauteed portobello mushrooms. Freaking Delicious! I would love to hear from you guys if you try my burger recipe! Post comments and pictures!!!
Enjoy!!
