The Best Burger EVER

Sometimes you just have to eat meat. Being a flexitarian I have shied away from eating red meat for over a year now. But once and a while, usually when the smell of smokey backyard grills fills the air, I get the urge to splurge. But if it's going to happen, it has to happen the right way. Short of baking my own rolls, this burger is pure homemade American goodness. But I would save the trouble exclusively for meat enthusiasts or those who simply like to chow down.

Ingredients: Sauce -
1/4 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. Ketchup
2 tsp. Horseradish
1/4 tsp. Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. White Vinegar
1/4 C. Dill Pickle Relish
Combine all ingredients and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Burgers -
1/3 lb. Chuck Eye per person
American Cheese slices (1 per person)

Accompaniments -
Thick cut Bacon (1 slice per person)
Green Leaf Lettuce (1/2 leaf per person)
Fresh Tomato slices (1/2 vine-ripened tomato per person)
Avocado, thinly sliced (1/4 Avocado per person)
Kaiser, Challah, or Brioche Rolls (1 per person)

Begin by slicing beef very thin until finely chopped. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill. Render the bacon by adding it to a cold fry pan and turning the heat to medium until it starts to sizzle. Proceed by lowering the heat and turning every 5 minutes until bacon is golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Reserve bacon fat and set bacon slices aside. Slice tomato, wash and dry lettuce leaves.
Shape the burgers into patties 1 inch thick, with solid sides, about 3 1/2" in diameter. Turn fry pan with bacon fat up to medium high. Immediately before searing patties, dip them into ice cold water for 30 seconds. Pat dry and season with pepper and salt. Add to fry pan and sear on one side about 7 minutes. Check for color and flip once. Sear for another 7 minutes or so for medium. While cooking on final side, take spoon and laddle juices over and around burger patties to promote even cooking. Do this for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Remove from pan and place cheese slices ontop. Let rest for 5 minutes.

During the resting time, toast the rolls with butter until golden. Slice the avocado.

Begin the assembly. Start by spreading 2 Tablespoons of sauce on bottom half of roll. Lay lettuce atop sauce, then tomato, next comes the burger, topped with the avocado and finally the bacon slices. Serve and eat immediately. Enjoy with homemade pommes frites.


© Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats