Brioche Blue Cheese and Bacon Burgers

It’s not that football is something I don’t like, I just never really got into it. Maybe it’s because I feel guilty and unproductive when I sit on the couch all day. Perhaps I was just resisting being like everyone else as I sometimes stubbornly tend to do. Who knows why I never really got into it, but NOW I’m into it.

Wes has two new AWESOME high definition televisions at his new place and sitting on the new couch watching big dudes crash into each other all day has suddenly become awesome. And for some reason, I always get a strong desire to grill burgers when the games are on.

So Wes and I have been making and experimenting with several different stuffed blue cheese burgers and I think we found the winner.

Grill these for your next big football day. Or right now if you just can’t wait.

You will need…

1 ½ lb ground beef (preferably 80/20)

1 small yellow onion, grated

1 tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon pepper

8 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1 large tomato, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 cups arugula

4 slices your favorite thick cut bacon

8 slices brioche bread

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Start by heating your grill to a high heat.

In a large heavy pan over medium low heat. Add in the bacon and cook until crispy, flipping once. About 20 minutes. When the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pan onto a paper towel and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking, combine the beef, salt, pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Using your hand, gently combine the ingredients. Don’t over handle the meat.

When everything is combined, divide the meat into 8 balls about 3 ounces each.

Form 4 of the balls into patties and use the bottom of a glass to make a depression in the center of each patty. 

Fill the patties with 2 tablespoons of blue cheese.

Form the top patties and lay them on top of the cheese filled patties. Gently form them into one patty.

Lightly oil the patties and grill them until cooked to your liking. About 5 minutes a side for medium. Flipping them once.

While the burgers are grilling, lightly butter both sides of the brioche and grill it on each side until lightly grilled. About 2 minutes a side.

When your burgers are cooked to your liking, remove from the heat, cover and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

Lay a burger on each brioche bun, top with arugula and tomato. 

Slice each piece of back in half, place it on top of the burger and serve hot.

 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Brioche Blue Cheese and Bacon Burgers

1 ½ lb ground beef (preferably 80/20)

1 small yellow onion, grated

1 tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon pepper

8 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1 large tomato, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 cups arugula

4 slices your favorite thick cut bacon

8 slices brioche bread

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Start by heating your grill to a high heat.

In a large heavy pan over medium low heat. Add in the bacon and cook until crispy, flipping once. About 20 minutes. When the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pan onto a paper towel and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking, combine the beef, salt, pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Using your hand, gently combine the ingredients. Don’t over handle the meat.

When everything is combined, divide the meat into 8 balls about 3 ounces each.

Form 4 of the balls into patties and use the bottom of a glass to make a depression in the center of each patty. 

Fill the patties with 2 tablespoons of blue cheese.

Form the top patties and lay them on top of the cheese filled patties. Gently form them into one patty.

Lightly oil the patties and grill them until cooked to your liking. About 5 minutes a side for medium. Flipping them once.

While the burgers are grilling, lightly butter both sides of the brioche and grill it on each side until lightly grilled. About 2 minutes a side.

When your burgers are cooked to your liking, remove from the heat, cover and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

Lay a burger on each brioche bun, top with arugula and tomato. Slice each piece of back in half, place it on top of the burger and serve hot. 

Bison Cheddar Burger with Crispy Shallots and Pickled Cucumbers

Something is wearing me down. It’s either my old age, my over scheduling or both.

I’ve always been pretty good about remembering events and occasions with out much help. But lately since I’ve been so booked up (not complaining because I love it, just saying) that I’ve taken to using the calendar on my phone. You know, just to be safe.

So I was downright shocked yesterday at three-thirty in the afternoon when I realized that I was supposed to be at a party two hours ago and that the party was now over. Even though I had used my calendar, I had set it for the wrong time.

Dummy.

Literally did a forehead slap.

I felt HORRIBLE. Not only do I have FOMO, I really hate to let people down.

Luckily, my friend Lindsey is wonderful and understanding and forgave me as soon as I explained what happened. Good thing, because she doesn’t eat meat and it would have been really hard to win her forgiveness with this tasty burger.

You will need…

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned

½ cup white wine or other tasty vinegar

5 large shallots, very thinly sliced

1 cup olive oil

1 ½ lb ground bison

½ onion, grated

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

2 cups baby arugula

4 brioche buns (or other soft roll), lightly buttered and toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber and vinegar and season well with salt and pepper. Set the cucumbers aside to pickle, stirring every so often. Let them sit for at least 1 hour and up to over night.

In a large bowl, combine the bison, onion, onion powder, garlic power, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. 

Combine the mixture well and season well with salt and pepper.

Divide the meet into 4 equal sections.

Separate 1 of the sections into to parts and flatten each out into a patty. Fill the center of one of the patties with a handful of cheddar and top it with the other patty. 

Form the two patties into 1 large patty filled with cheese. Set it aside and repeat with the other 3 sections.

Heat your grill to a high heat.

Lightly oil the burgers and grill them until they have good grill marks and are cooked through. About 6 minutes a side.

While the burgers are cooking, heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is very hot, add in the shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy. 

Using a slotted spoon, move the shallots to a paper towel to dry.

When the burgers are done, place them on the bun, top with arugula, crispy shallots and the pickled cucumbers and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Bison Cheddar Burger with Crispy Shallots and Pickled Cucumbers

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned

½ cup white wine or other tasty vinegar

5 large shallots, very thinly sliced

1 cup olive oil

1 ½ lb ground bison

½ onion, grated

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

2 cups baby arugula

4 brioche buns (or other soft roll), lightly buttered and toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber and vinegar and season well with salt and pepper. Set the cucumbers aside to pickle, stirring every so often. Let them sit for at least 1 hour and up to over night.

In a large bowl, combine the bison, onion, onion powder, garlic power, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Combine the mixture well and season well with salt and pepper.

Divide the meet into 4 equal sections.

Separate 1 of the sections into to parts and flatten each out into a patty. Fill the center of one of the patties with a handful of cheddar and top it with the other patty. Form the two patties into 1 large patty filled with cheese. Set it aside and repeat with the other 3 sections.

Heat your grill to a high heat.

Lightly oil the burgers and grill them until they have good grill marks and are cooked through. About 6 minutes a side.

While the burgers are cooking, heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is very hot, add in the shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, move the shallots to a paper towel to dry.

When the burgers are done, place them on the bun, top with arugula, crispy shallots and the pickled cucumbers and serve hot.

Pork Burgers with Apple Fennel Slaw

Labor day, the symbolic end of summer has come and gone.

As much as I love summer, its end signifies lots of great things.

Autumn signifies the evacuation of tourists from Newport Beach. My nighttime bike rides will no longer be obstructed by oblivious tourists stopping with their coolers in the middle of the boardwalk or walking in a line seven deep in the bike lane.

Fall on its way means that new and delicious vegetables like butternut squash and Brussels sprouts are on their way.

And longer nights mean it is boot season. Thank the freaking lord for boot season. My seventeen pairs are anxious to come out and play.

But longer nights means, well, longer nights.

Longer nights mean a whole lot less time at the barbeque.

Major bummer.

But that doesn’t mean it has to be the end of your burger enjoyment.

Here is the perfect autumn burger. All cooked inside in the comfort of your warm home.

You will need…

1 ½ pounds ground pork (80/20)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup crumbled blue cheese (or sharp white cheddar if you don’t like blue cheese)

4 of your favorite burger buns (I love anything with onions)

2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)

2 pink (Gala, Pink Lady, Braeburn) apples, very thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

¼ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons chive aioli

Start by combining the apples, fennel red onion, cabbage, jalapenos, cilantro and white wine vinegar in a large bowl.

Toss everything well and set it aside.

Then in a large bowl, combine the pork, salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands and then begin forming 4 patties.

Once your 4 patties are formed, set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, add the patties to the oil and cover.

Cook until the bottom side is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the burger over and top each burger with a little cheese.

Recover and cook the burgers until browned on the underside. Another 3 to 4 minutes.

When the burgers are cooked through, remove them from the heat.

Lightly butter each side of the buns and place them in turn on the pan until they are lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds.

To assemble the burgers, place the patty on the bottom bun.

Spread 1 tablespoon of chive aioli on the top of each bun.

Top each patty with ½ cup of apple fennel slaw and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

1 ½ pounds ground pork (80/20)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup crumbled blue cheese (or sharp white cheddar if you don’t like blue cheese)

4 of your favorite burger buns (I love anything with onions)

2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)

2 pink (Gala, Pink Lady, Braeburn) apples, very thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

¼ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons chive aioli

Start by combining the apples, fennel red onion, cabbage, jalapenos, cilantro and white wine vinegar in a large bowl.

Toss everything well and set it aside.

Then in a large bowl, combine the pork, salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands and then begin forming 4 patties.

Once your 4 patties are formed, set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, add the patties to the oil and cover.

Cook until the bottom side is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the burger over and top each burger with a little cheese.

Recover and cook the burgers until browned on the underside. Another 3 to 4 minutes.

When the burgers are cooked through, remove them from the heat.

Lightly butter each side of the buns and place them in turn on the pan until they are lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds.

To assemble the burgers, place the patty on the bottom bun.

Spread 1 tablespoon of chive aioli on the top of each bun.

Top each patty with ½ cup of apple fennel slaw and serve hot. 

Ultimate Turkey Burger

If given the option, ninety-nine times out of one-hundred I would pick a straight beef burger over any other option.

I just think that the flavor of a barbequed beef burger is like nothing else.

Which is why even I was surprised the other day when I was suddenly craving a turkey burger.

Random.

And man oh man did these little suckers satisfy my craving.

This interesting mix made for an incredibly flavorful and juicy burger.

Juicy, messy and awesome.

If it doesn’t get all over the place, it doesn’t belong in your face.

You will need…

1 ½ pounds ground turkey

½ cup finely grated Gruyere cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, half grated and half finely chopped

¼ cup dried breadcrumbs, preferably Italian seasoned

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 of your favorite burger buns

Butter lettuce, for garnish

Sliced tomato, for garnish

Ketchup to taste

Whole grain garlic mustard, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil plus a little extra for the barbeque grates

Start by lightly greasing your grates with a little bit of oil so the burgers will not stick. Then, heat your grill to a medium heat.

Then, in a small pan, combine the tablespoon of olive oil and the finely chopped onion. Season with salt & pepper, and heat over medium heat until the onions are very brown.

While the onions are browning, combine the turkey, cheese, green onions, grated onions, mustard, breadcrumbs, garlic and season with salt and pepper.

After the mixture has been completely combined, divide the meat into 4 equal sections. Then, form your sections into patties.

Using your spatula, make little score marks on your burgers so they don’t shrink up as much on the grill.

Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill. Sear until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes a side.

Move to a cooler part of the grill and cook until they are cooked through. About 7 to 10 minutes per side.

When the burgers are cooked through, grill your burger buns over a hot part of the grill for 20 to 30 seconds.

Layer your burger with a mixture of your sauces, tomatoes, butter lettuce and grilled onions.

Serve hot with a cold beverage.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela          

Ultimate Turkey Burger

1 ½ pounds ground turkey

½ cup finely grated Gruyere cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, half grated and half finely chopped

¼ cup dried breadcrumbs, preferably Italian seasoned

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 of your favorite burger buns

Butter lettuce, for garnish

Sliced tomato, for garnish

Ketchup to taste

Whole grain garlic mustard, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil plus a little extra for the barbeque grates

Start by lightly greasing your grates with a little bit of oil so the burgers will not stick. Then, heat your grill to a medium heat.

Then, in a small pan, combine the tablespoon of olive oil and the finely chopped onion. Season with salt & pepper, and heat over medium heat until the onions are very brown.

While the onions are browning, combine the turkey, cheese, green onions, grated onions, mustard, breadcrumbs, garlic and season with salt and pepper.

After the mixture has been completely combined, divide the meat into 4 equal sections. Then, form your sections into patties.

Using your spatula, make little score marks on your burgers so they don’t shrink up as much on the grill.

Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill. Sear until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes a side.

Move to a cooler part of the grill and cook until they are cooked through. About 7 to 10 minutes per side.

When the burgers are cooked through, grill your burger buns over a hot part of the grill for 20 to 30 seconds.

Layer your burger with a mixture of your sauces, tomatoes, butter lettuce and grilled onions.

Serve hot with a cold beverage.