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| We like to add different flavor cheeses to our burgers. Here we have Pepper Jack an Swiss. |
It's summer time and for most people that means they BBQ a lot. My neighbors BBQ every night. EVERY NIGHT they eat hotdogs. I am amazed that they don't turn into a hotdog..LOL They say it's easy and that is what they love...then, by all means, GO FOR IT!
Unlike my neighbor, we rarely eat anything twice. I think that hamburgers would be one of the yummy foods that we eat several times through out the summer. BUT, I can tell you they probably don't ever taste quite the same. WHY? Several reasons....the toppings, the burger mix and the buns. We like to shake it up and try new things all the time.
For me, hamburger meat is like the canvas to the artist. It's wide open for all types of hues, textures and creative juices.....get it? Juices..hamburgers and creative minds...LOL
SO, what makes an awesome hamburger? So MANY things. I like to add BBQ sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Sriracha sauce, hot sauce, buffalo wing sauce, cheese, all types of spices....and this is just the meat, but not all at the same time! Get creative and yet stay simple. Don't over mix your flavors. Think about what the theme of the burger will be. Lots of friends I know love Teriyaki burgers...this might include in the meat: diced onion, garlic salt, crushed pineapple, and a sweet, soy based sauce. JUST AN IDEA...
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| This is my hamburger with mushrooms. I am using the GF flat bread for my bun. Recipe can be found below. |
I like to add a few things to my hamburgers that hold them together. I always add at least one egg to every pound of hamburger meat. I have also added: smashed up crackers, bread crumbs, oatmeal, or cubed pieces of bread. WHY? This will help the meat stay together and it also stretches your meat for a crowd. Have you ever had an unexpected guess for dinner or maybe a whole house full of kids? Instead of running to the store, add the items mentioned above and see if you can get two or three more burgers out of your one pound. Just some ideas to think about!
Another thing that I have done in the past is to mix my meat. You can add ground pork, ground turkey or sausage to the burgers. This adds a lot of flavor. When I make my burgers, I don't select the meat with the lowest amount of fat. Burgers need fat to taste awesome! Keep this in mind when selecting your meat. I also try to go with the organic meat selection. It cost more, but again..taste! It does make a difference.
Recipe: Hamburger Patties
1 pound of hamburger or meat of your choice
1 egg
1/4 cup of onion, diced
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pepper...we like a lot of pepper, use less if this sounds or looks too much for your family
This is my basic recipe for hamburger patties. After mixing all of the above ingredients together, I would add any "special" sauce or ingredient that I wanted to make the burger unique. Keep in mind that too much sauce can make your patty fall apart. IF this happens, add some bread crumbs or cubed bread. It will absorb the liquid and hold your meat together. I would just add things sparingly. You can always add more, but it's hard to take it out.
I don't like to rush my burgers with HIGH heat. Especially if they are thick. Then the outside will taste burned. Don't over flip your burgers too. Let them cook on each side and try to flip them only once on each side. Use a meat thermometer if you want your meat cooked a specific way: rare, medium rare, medium , medium well or well. If you have a crowd, I always ask my guest how they like their burgers cooked. It makes them feel important and that they have a choice.
While the burgers are cooking outside on medium heat or on the stove top in a frying pan on medium heat, you can work on your toppings. like to involve my family in this next step. Most kids can help wash the veggies and the older kids can slice tomatoes or pickles.
Choose your cheese. Slice it and right before the burgers leave the grill or pan, top each one. We love cheese, I know, that's not a secret...LOL We like to try all types of cheese in our burgers and on top. This time we tried a Pepper Jack, this added a bit of a kick and we loved it.
Prepare your BUNS. I turn the broiler on, butter my buns and let them cook. It does not take long. Watch your buns...that right there, made me laugh...LOL
Burgers can be served with anything. These are a few of my suggestions from other recipes that I have on my blog. I also make my Gluten Free Flat Bread and use this as a bun for myself and my GF friends. They really appreciate having "bread" to eat their hamburgers with. Lettuce leaves can also be used.
Green Pea Salad
Jalapeno Bacon Potato Salad
Orange Delight Jello Salad
GF Bread
I hope that the next time you make hamburgers for your family, that you will think outside the box and get creative! ENJOY
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