Burger Showdown

Just a note about homemade hamburgers - DO try grinding your own meat!  It is definitely not a weeknight pursuit, but with an extra 30 minutes of effort, you'll be rewarded with remarkably tastier  and safer meat.  For this week's experiment, I recruited my husband to try "dueling burgers" - we started with unseasoned ground beef in individual bowls and chose our own seasonings and toppings.  Great party idea!


Burger Meat
From Craigie on Main via Bon Appetit
(makes about ten 6-ounce/170g burgers)


1 1/4 pounds (567g) beef brisket
1 1/4 pounds (567g) boneless short ribs
1 1/4 pounds (567g) hanger steak or skirt steak


Trim all meat free of excess fat and sinews and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Chill approximately 20-30 minutes in the freezer.  Grind the cubed meat either in a meat grinder or food processor to about 1/16" consistency.  Season to your liking (see below) and cook to desired temperature (I prefer medium-rare, which is a lot safer when using house-ground meat, although USDA recommends cooking ground beef to 165F).

Burger #1
(serves 1)
6 ounces burger meat
1 tsp minced shallot
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Crusty sourdough roll
Thick sliced aged cheddar
1/2 cup mushrooms, sauteed
1/2 cup onions, sauteed
1 slice thick cut bacon, cooked
Steak sauce (Peter Luger's or your favorite)

Burger #2

(serves 1)

6 ounces burger meat

1/2 tsp minced shallot

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sweet paprika

Soft pretzel roll

Fresh goat cheese (chevre)

1/2 cup onions, sauteed and finished with balsamic vinegar