How To Make Gourmet Burgers!

I don't know about you guys, but I love Love LOVE hamburgers! There are few cravings that are quite as satisfying to fulfill than a delicious juicy burger. However, sometimes making them at home can feel a little less than gourmet. Today's How-To is part of my quest to provide you all with some stellar burger recipes I have acquired, along with some tips on ingredients and condiments to step things up a notch. Pretty much all of these can also be made with turkey, OR if you're a vegetarian, here is a great list of some veggie burger options!

Mark's Mega Burger

My buddy Mark makes one of the best burgers ever! He generously donated his recipe to help my cause. These burgers are seasoned deliciously - even when cooked they might look a little red on the outside, but bite in and you'll see that they're done. And SO TASTY!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 - 1 cup Bread Crumbs
- Worcestershire Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Salt & Pepper
- Garlic
- Finely Chopped Onions
- Any added spices you want
How To Make It:
Mix Everything Together. Grill. Dress with Condiments. Enjoy. 


Beer Burger
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tbsp. Minced Onion
- 1 Clove Garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Ketchup 
- 1/2 Cup Beer
- Salt & Pepper
- Buns 
How To Make It:
1. Combine above ingredients. 
2. Split buns and spread each half with the meat mixture and season with salt and pepper.
3. Broil pen faced 3 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until meat mixture reaches desired degree of doneness.


Herb Burger
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef

- 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, Chopped
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, Chopped
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, Chopped
- 1 tbsp. Chives, Chopped
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
How To Make It:
1. Preheat grill or grill-pan to medium-high. 
2. In large bowl combine meat, herbs, bread crumbs, lemon juice, salt & pepper until well mixed. 
3. Shape into patties and put on grill/pan & grill 8-10 minutes on each side. 
(Melt cheese on if you wish)
4. Remove & serve!
* This one tastes really great on a toasted baguette!


Cool Condiments
Of course you've got your basic ketchup, mustard and mayo, but here are some condiments for your consideration
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Aioli (There are also some Super great chipotle aioli recipes for added spice) 
- BBQ Sauce
- Guacamole
- Pesto


Top Notch Toppings
Other than pickles, lettuce, onion & tomato, here are some kicker toppings that really gourmet-ify your meal!
- Avocado
- Roasted Peppers
- Fancy Cheeses (Some of my favorites are goat cheese, blue cheese & manchego)
- Caramelized Onions
- Bacon
- Sub in Butter Lettuce for Romaine (its my fav!)
- Sauteed Mushrooms
And about anything tasty you can think of!


Stellar Sides
- French Fries. Obviously. BUT here are some ways to spice up the traditional burger sidekick: 
Truffle Fries
Seasoned Fries (salt/pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, paprika) 
Sweet Potato Fries, 
- Onion Rings
- Grilled Veggies! Asparagus, Zucchini, Squash, Tomatoes, Brusselsprouts, 

*Beer! Who can resist an ice cold beer along the side?! I did a little research to find out which kinds of beers pair up best with burgers! Here are some of my personal favorites:

Sierra Nevada or Drifter, Newcastle, Blue Moon, Sam Adams, Stella Artois, 1554
* The bun can make or break your burger! I favor brioche buns which are so tasty! Kaiser rolls, Poppyseed Buns, Baguettes or even English Muffins depending on your mood! The real key is to grill the buns so they're nice and toasty. Also think about brushing on some butter.
* One more tip: If these recipes make way more burgers than you need, you can freeze the extra patties and cook them later in the week! Just put wax paper or freezer paper between the patties so they don't stick together!

Eat, Drink and be Merry!