- 5
Ingredients
- 1 pound brisket and 1 pound sirloin, coarsely ground together, see Cook's Note*
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5 (1/8-inch thick) slices sharp Cheddar cheese
- 5 burger buns, split
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- Ketchup Chutney, recipe follows
- Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip (Muhummara), recipe follows
- Tomato slices, lettuce leaves, sliced red onion, for fixing up the burgers
Preparation
Step 1
Put the ground beef on a baking sheet and divide into 5 equal portions. Push the meat (not patting it) together gently and shape into patties no bigger than the size of your burger buns.
They should be loosely compacted; they should look rustically rough, not smooth and that way a good crust will develop and there will be lots of nooks and crannies for the cheese to melt into. They should be about 1/2-inch thick and about 4-inches wide. Make sure they fit your buns! Once shaped, chill the uncooked burgers in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Preheat your grill or largest cast-iron skillet, and warm over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sprinkle both sides of the burgers generously with kosher salt. This is not only for flavor, but also to build a good crust.
Using a spatula, place the burgers on the grill or in the skillet. They should sizzle upon contact. If you are cooking inside, open your window, because it might get a little smoky!
If using a grill: Cook 2 minutes on the first side for medium-rare or 3 minutes if you like them medium-well. Flip the burgers, and top each one with a slice of cheese. Cover, if possible and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, depending how well done you like your burgers and the heat of your grill.
If using a skillet: Cook 4 minutes for medium-rare, or 5 minutes for medium-well on the first side. Flip the burgers, and top each one with a slice of cheese. Cover, if possible, and cook for 4 minutes longer. A meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the burger should register 135 to 140 degrees F for medium-rare.
Remove the burgers from the heat and grind freshly ground black pepper on top of each burger.
While the meat rests, toast the buns. Spread both cut sides of the buns with a little softened butter. Lower the heat to medium, add the buns, cut-side down and let them toast until golden brown.
Place each burger on a bun, top with ketchup chutney or roasted red pepper and walnut dip and pile you're your favorite toppings. Dig into a little slice of summer heaven right from your kitchen!
*Cook's Note: The key to a juicy, flavorful burger? Making friends with your butcher or meat department folks at the supermarket! You're going to be asking them for a couple of favors when you're craving a juicy burger. What you're looking for is freshly ground beef, not the stuff that's been sitting on the shelves for weeks; you need beef that has a 70 to 30 ratio of meat to fat, is coarsely ground and is made from pieces of beef you can inspect for freshness. Ask your butcher to grind equal parts brisket and sirloin or do it yourself with a food processor. Cut the meat into 1-inch chunks and freeze for about 20 minutes, then throw it in the food processor, processing for 12 to 15 seconds until you get a consistency that is reminiscent of chopped meat. Don't grind it as fine as they sell it at the store or else your burger will be mealy