Recipe by Ashley Rodriguez ~ a James Beard Award nominee
There is nothing more classic for outdoor cooking than a burger. This recipe utilizes the fire in all its various forms and I guarantee it will be unlike any other backyard bbq'd burger you've had.
It starts with a butter-laced patty then topped with cheese (if you like). I like something strong and super melty here. Like a gruyere or fontina. We top that with fire-cooked mushrooms and coal roasted peppers. Arugula and tomatoes finish off this ode to the classic.
Burger Recipe
Serves 2
I mean, butter might be a bit excessive here but I figure we’re going all out tonight and what’s a little more butter going to hurt? The butter and beef happened to be sitting next to each other on the counter and then I thought, “Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I fold in a bit of butter to the ground beef?” Well, I’ll tell you that the beef is as you would expect when you add butter to it: buttery. It is incredibly juicy and has a sort of nutty, caramelized taste that makes this already over-the-top burger even more ridiculous.
- 12 ounces/340g ground beef, 15% to 20% fat
- 11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
Gently combine all the ingredients and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes or, to get the best results, covered in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight. Form into 2 large patties. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Coal Roasted Peppers
- 4 whole peppers
- olive oil
- sea salt
Set the peppers directly on the coals. Rotate until nearly completely charred and the pepper has softened. Remove from the fire then let cool. Cut into 1 1/2 inch strips. Drizzle the peppers with olive oil and sea salt.
Fire Cooked Mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced
- sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves
Add the butter and olive oil to a cast iron skillet set directly over coals. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and a hearty pinch of sea salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their moisture and they are starting to caramelize. Stir in the garlic then continue to cook until the mushrooms are deeply caramelized, about 5 minutes more. Taste and add more salt if needed.
To assemble the burgers toast two soft and buttered buns over the fire. Add a slick of mayonnaise then add your cooked patty, cheese (if preferred) the mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and arugula. Enjoy with a cold drink next to the fire.
