Need a great hamburger recipe Smoked or not smoked. Want to make somthing new for family. Thanks for any help.
Beef. It's what's for dinner.
Boy, burgers is a wide open thing. I still prefer basic ones but sometimes I will go with...
Ground Chuck - how ever much you want depending on how many people are eating and the size of their appetite. I usually go for 1/3 to 1/2 lb burgers.
Mince some onions - go for look, depends on how much beef you are using
Mince garlic - I like a lot of garlic
a TBS or 2 of worcestershire
If you like a little heat, about a half a jalapeno per lb of burger. this will be just a little heat to almost none if you remove the seeds and membranes. Mix as gently as possible and form patties as gently as possible. If you are grinding your own meat, put the other ingredients through the grinder with it. You will want to be as gentle as possible with the meat as to leave it airy, fluffy. This will yield a more tender chewing burger. Let them rest covered in the fridge for an hour or so then salt and pepper and to the smoker. I like to smoke with pecan for an hour or so then finish on the grill. Add whatever cheese you prefer at the end just before removing. Be careful not to over cook the burgers as to dry them out. I like a medium rare burger. I wouldn't with store ground beef but if you grind your own it will be fine.
Serve on a nice soft onion bun with a slice of red onion and topings of your choice. I usually just go with a little mustard and the onion. I also leave off the cheese and let the burger stand on its own.
First off -- make sure to MAKE your own hamburgers -- fresh. Much better! You can use just about any combo of beef you like, but chuck is pretty much the standard (although I've thrown in short rib meat too) .. You want about 20% fat to protein ratio for juicy hamburgers.
One extra trick I do, is to add FISH SAUCE (yes, the vietnamese staple). 2 Tbsp / 1 lb of raw meat. It adds a complex "something" that really enriches the flavor.. boosting the meatiness by a factor of 2 (I did a side by side blind tasting and universally everyone thought the fish sauce hamburgers were more 'beefy' tasting). I highly recommend 3 crab brand fish sauce (it has 3 blue grabs on the front on a pink label).
Add other seasonings to your hearts content.
I also think, and it's just me, that pan frying them on a cast iron skillet (that's been way pre-heated) makes the best burgers .. puts a wonderful crust on them ... ala In-n-out or 5-guys..
Make your own burgers. Make em nice and thick. Don't want no sissy burger :)
Use quality ground chuck. 85/15 is a good mix IMHO.
If you have left over brisket or pulled pork try mixing some into the burger patty. Trust me it is good ;)
Season the outside with Lawry's season salt.
Grill over high heat to medium rare.
Ive made different kinds of burgers before. made some with jalapenos and some with jose cuervo tequila in them. All good but always looking for more ideas.
will this help?
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=28971.0;topicseen
Well one of the simplest and best is to simply add a dry onion soup mix to your burger. We've done it for years. And yes if you really want a good burger for get the store bought burger and buy a hunk of beef. Really the cheapest will still be better then what they throw in it. But a good roast or even you favorite tasting type steak is the best ever. Now as Im pretty old and worn out and cant chew a steak and enjoy like I use to. I love burgers made from steak. Warning once you
I made this recipe and really liked it. Go to the Bradley home page, click on recipes. Scroll down to beef. Click on prime rib. "Smoked Beerlicious Prime Rib Burgers". I know. Sounds like a sin to make burgers out of PR. Should work with ground chuck too.
Just mixed up a combo of ground beef, minced garlic, crumbled blue cheese, minced green onions, Worcestershire, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Will probably dress with jack cheese and maybe some jalapenos and let you know how it turns out. Now I have to remember where I put the camera.
So the one thing I do to make my burgers different is I add a shot of booze. I have used what ever I have in the cupboard. I have you used CPT Morgan, Jack Daniels, Scotch, and Southern Comfort. I just give my self a shot and decide if that is the flavor I like for the day. Just don't add to much or your burgers fall apart. If I'm adding moisture I have learned to use a leaner meat, but not to lean.
I just grind up top sirloin in the food processor, just adding olive oil, gray salt and freshly ground pepper. Alway a winner, with no work.
Someone really needs to try my Fish Sauce addition -- I swear guys, it's da bomb. :)
I use Montreal steak seasoning and sometimes worcestershire
Adam
If you like some seasoning, McCormick just came out with a couple of hamburger seasonings. I saw them at Sam's Club, and thought I've never gone wrong with any Grill Mates blend. I just tried the Cracked Peppercorn & Worcestershire Seasoning, and it was great. I will try the Texas Smoke House Seasoning tomorrow. Just one tablespoon per pound, or you can shake it on at the table.
Quote from: sjmcdowall on July 16, 2012, 07:26:11 AMFish Sauce ... it's da bomb.
Now you know why anchovies are an important ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.
McCormick gourmet burger is pretty tasty
Adam
Quote from: sjmcdowall on July 16, 2012, 07:26:11 AM
Someone really needs to try my Fish Sauce addition -- I swear guys, it's da bomb. :)
I like this idea and will have to give it a shot. I also agree with the flaming hot cast iron skillet. Gotta love the crust! ;)
Mike
Just made "juicy lucys" for the grand kids. I didn't tell them about the surprise inside. They said they were the best burgers ever. I tried the fish sauce and a little bit of home made jalapeno powder in mine and I was pleasantly surprised. The fish sauce did give it that little something extra that makes it stand apart from every other burger. Even the wife liked it which was hard for her to admit since she was mocking me the whole time it was cooking. "Fish sauce, who in their right mind puts fish sauce in a hamburger." I'm not saying I'm in my right mind but I won't hesitate to do it again. Thanks for the good tip.
Mike
My favorite hamburger is a little outta the norm.
75% course ground venison to 25% course ground bacon, mix well, grind again.
Make into 1/4 lb patties, splash of Worcestershire sauce and cook to an IT of 145 F
Gooood stuff.
Quote from: smoke em if you got em on July 16, 2012, 05:00:58 PM
Just made "juicy lucys" for the grand kids. I didn't tell them about the surprise inside. They said they were the best burgers ever. I tried the fish sauce and a little bit of home made jalapeno powder in mine and I was pleasantly surprised. The fish sauce did give it that little something extra that makes it stand apart from every other burger. Even the wife liked it which was hard for her to admit since she was mocking me the whole time it was cooking. "Fish sauce, who in their right mind puts fish sauce in a hamburger." I'm not saying I'm in my right mind but I won't hesitate to do it again. Thanks for the good tip.
Mike
Thank god someone else tried it! :)
Also -- "Juicy Lucys"!! OMG -- what a throwback -- now makes me homesick for MN .. (Home of the original Juicy Lucys) ... Ahh Matt's Grill -- how I miss thee . LOL :)