Bacon & Egg {Burger} & Avocado Dressed Wedge {Salad}

Egg- Good, Bacon- GREAT, Cheddar Cheese- Delish, Chipotle Mayo- Amazing, Beef- The Best.

These ingredients in many ways are like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, and Saturday night... they are all amazing on their own but bring them all together and BAM! World changed. This burger is the perfect blend of rich flavors and eggy goodness. Bethany highly recommends eating this burger while watching SNL. That my friend, sounds like a good night! 

We had a lot of fun with this burger; we bounced ideas back and forth until we came up with a really tasty product. It is also a very quick and easy burger to throw together with items you usually have on hand in your kitchen.  Whitney's friend had recommended doing a burger with bacon crumbles in the beef patty and Bethany loves anything with egg.  It was a combo made in heaven-- gooey egg and crispy bacon in every bite. We paired the burger with a twist on the trendy wedge salad and voila! Dinner!  

Bacon & Egg Burger

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb thick cut bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 large eggs
1/4 mayonnaise
2 Tbls chipotle or hot sauce
4 hamburger buns

In a small bowl, combine and blend mayonnaise and chipotle sauce with a spoon.  Refrigerate until the burgers are ready to serve.

Over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy.  Place bacon on a paper towel covered plate to cool and dry. Reserve one tablespoon of grease for frying the eggs.  Crumble the bacon with the ground beef in a large bowl.  Mix pepper in with bacon and beef using a wooden spoon. Form four patties and refrigerate for at least a half an hour.

Fry 4 eggs in the reserved bacon grease, breaking the yolks and flipping half way through to create desired preparedness.

Over a medium-high flame, grill the burgers for about 4-5 minutes on each side.  With about 2 minutes left, top each burger with a slice of cheddar cheese and arrange buns to be toasted.

Remove burgers and buns from grill.  Assemble burgers with egg and chipotle mayo.  Serve immediately.

Avocado Dressed Wedge Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1/4 cup mayo
1/8 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cilantro leaves or roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbls lime juice
2 Tbls olive oil
2 green onions, white and light green chopped
1/3 cup chopped almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the avocado, mayo, sour cream, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and onions in a food processor.  Blend until smooth and creamy. Take the head of lettuce and cut it into four quarters or eight wedges depending on the desired amount of salad and the size of the head.  Take one wedge and drizzle the dressing on top and add the tomatoes and chopped almonds. Serve immediately.

Yields 4-8 servings

Grocery List

ground beef

bacon

cheddar cheese

sour cream

eggs

mayonnaise

chipotle or hot sauce

hamburger buns

chopped almonds

head iceberg lettuce

cherry tomatoes

avocado

cilantro 

garlic

lime juice

green onions

Estimated grocery bill...  $31.35

Keep in mind...

You will have leftover cheddar cheese, sour cream, eggs, mayo, chipotle, buns, almonds, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and onions... and that is a lot!! You will also most likely have a lot of this on hand like we did.  The leftover avocado dressing will be great during the week! 

Average cost per plate... $4.95

Try this meal with... an India Pale Ale. 

We both love IPAs so much! We had Hop Wrangler by Peace Tree Brewing Company out of Iowa and while we were surprised at the high carbonation we were so happy with the refreshing hoppy and grassy taste the beer brought to this savory meal!  

Thank you all so much for joining us for Burger and Salad Week! We hope that you and yours have bonded over the grill and some delicious burgers.

As always, keep cooking and loving,
Beth & Whit

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Quinoa {Burger} & Peach Caprese {Salad}

Because I like to spend money on good meat I try to eat veggie a few nights a week.  I also have cooked for quite a few veggie friends and family and it is always hard to find hit recipes on a regular basis. I end up repeating my go-to meals too often.  I have tried making several different kinds of veggie burgers and this one definitely takes the cake.

This burger is full of flavor, stays together, and is super healthy! My cousin Jill originally shared the recipe with me from Beyond Rice and Tofu and Bethany and I altered it to accommodate what was in the fridge and our own personal tastes.  This recipe makes a huge amount of mix and burgers which is great if you are having quests or you need to have lunch or dinner on the fly during the week.  We paired the bold flavor of the burgers with the sweet and refreshing taste of grilled peaches, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic dressing.  The bright colors and taste of both the burger and salad will light up any backyard picnic or party.  Your friends and pocket book will rave about this meal for weeks to come!

If you haven't considered going veggie you will after this meal! I want to keep raving about it but Bethany took the pictures to prove it!

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Quinoa Burger

1/2 of a 15 oz can of black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large sweet potatoes or 2 cups, cooked and mashed, no skins
1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbls ketchup
2 tsp Sriracha sauce or hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbls olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped and divided
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients except for the oil, mayonnaise, and a reserved 1/4 cup of cilantro in a large bowl.  Form patties about the size of your palm and a 1/2 inch thick.  Pan fry the patties in olive oil over medium heat until they warm throughout and each side of the burger is lightly browned.  If you have a grill pan you can cook to burgers over a medium flame on the grill, but do not grill directly as they are too delicate to withhold the grates and heat of a grill.  Top burgers with mayo and fresh cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Yields 8-10 burgers.

Notes

This veggie burger stays together because of the sweet potato and not egg which makes the mix good for about a week in the refrigerator and a great vegan option.

Try the burgers with barbecue or hot sauce for added flavor.

Top a lettuce salad with a few spoonfuls of the veggie mixture and a simple vinaigrette for a quick lunch.

Peach Caprese Salad

4 ripe peaches, sliced
1- 8oz package fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/4-1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar or dressing to taste

Over a medium flame, grill peach slices until they are darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes each side.

Using a toothpick, stack grilled peach slices, basil, and mozzarella.  Drizzle with desired amount of balsamic and serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings.

Grocery List 

black beans

garlic

sweet potatoes

quinoa

mushrooms

yellow onion

bread crumbs

ketchup

Sriracha sauce or hot sauce 

cilantro

mayonnaise 

peaches

mozzarella

basil

balsamic dressing

Estimated grocery bill... $36.25

Keep in mind...

You will have leftover black beans, quinoa, mushrooms, onion, bread crumbs, ketchup, Sriracha, cilantro, and mayo.  You will most likely have garlic, bread crumbs, ketchup, hot sauces, and balsamic. Growing your own basil in the summer is a great idea as well.  The most important thing to keep in mind is that the burger mixture will last you all week or feed a huge crowd.  

Average cost per plate... $4.40

Try this meal with a... glass of sauvignon blanc. 

Beth and I shared a bottle of Bogle sauv blanc the afternoon we made this meal and it was perfect! The peppery and sharp taste of the wine was refreshing in the summer heat and it went great with all the flavors of the salad and burger. The wine also went great with the laziness that soon ensued after a day of cooking burger after burger. 

Thanks again to Jill for getting me started on the best veggie burger ever!

Burgers forever!

Whit

Cabernet Onion & Bleu Cheese {Burger} & Mustard Green Bean {Salad}

After graduating from college I slowly found myself talking more and more about cooking.  Whether I was asking for advice from my family or telling my friends stories of ruined meals, I was constantly talking about food.  I count myself lucky to have had coworkers that were willing to entertain me with their own experiences in the kitchen and answer my never ending cooking questions.  What did they have for dinner last night?  What could I do with my leftover tortillas?  How do I roast a chicken?

After two years at my job in St. Cloud, Minnesota I moved to the Twin Cities with great work experience, wonderful memories, and a gamut of recipes from my beloved coworkers.  This red wine onion burger is one of my favorites from that collection.

Bethany and I added sauted mushrooms, bleu cheese mayo, and a fresh and colorful green bean salad to round out this juicy and flavorful burger!

Cabernet Onion & Bleu Cheese Burger

1 small red onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup cabernet wine
1 Tbls olive oil
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pint baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbls butter
4 hamburger buns

In a medium skillet, combine onion,  garlic, wine, and olive oil and cook over medium-high heat.  Stir constantly until the wine has cooked into the onions and the alcohol has evaporated; onions will be soft and a deep purple color.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  Use a food processor to finely chop the onion mixture.

In a large bowl combine ground beef, chopped onions, and pepper.  Mix with a wooden spoon until evenly combined.  Form patties with your hands, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a half hour.

Combine mayo and bleu cheese crumbles to taste to make a thick spread. Refrigerate until the burgers are ready to serve.

Over medium heat saute mushrooms with butter until the mushrooms have become darker in color and soft in texture.

While the mushrooms are cooking, prepare the grill.  Over a medium-high flame grill the burgers, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side. In the last two minutes of cook time, arrange the buns to be toasted on the side of the grill.  Assemble burgers with toasted buns, patties, mushrooms, and bleu cheese mayo.  Serve immediately.

Green Bean Mustard Salad

1 1/2 lbs mixed waxed & green beans
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbls dijon mustard
2 Tbls lemon juice
3 Tbls olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add beans.  Cook until tender, 6-8 minutes.  Remove from heat and place beans in an ice bath to cool.

Whisk together mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Toss the dressing with cooled beans and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Cool in the refrigerator for at least a half hour and for up to two days.  Serve with sliced almonds.

Grocery List

red onion

garlic

baby bella mushrooms

waxed & green beans

cherry tomatoes

lemon juice

mayonnaise

hamburger buns

dijon mustard

sliced almonds

bleu cheese crumbles

ground beef

cabernet wine

Estimated grocery bill... $31.50

Keep in mind...

You will have leftover tomatoes, buns, mustard, almonds, bleu cheese, and most importantly red wine! You might also have several of the ingredients on hand.  This meal yields 4 burgers and lots of leftover salad.

Average cost per plate... $5.75

Try this meal with... glass of cabernet! 

The balance of the sweet and caramelized onions in the burger is perfectly complimented by a glass of red wine.  Besides, you might as well save money by using the rest of the wine you didn't cook with.  This meal is perfect for a cool, summer night on your deck or porch.  

Thank you to Lindsey for this outstanding burger and to the coworkers who continue to share recipes with me! 

Grill on peeps, 

Whit

Avocado Jucy Lucy {Burger} & Blueberry Corn {Salad}

Here in Minnesota we have created a famous little burger called The Jucy Lucy (often spelled correctly/incorrectly as the Juicy Lucy) and it is the most delicious burger around. A Jucy Lucy is made with two burger patties and a large chunk of cheddar cheese sandwiched in-between.  Why put the cheese on top when you can melt it to perfection in the middle?

Beware of the molten hot, cheesy river that will flow out of your burger on your first bite; the professionals will warn you to let your burger cool for a few minutes. If you are ever in Minneapolis, do yourself a solid and bike on down to Matt's Bar on the corner of Cedar and 35th. Matt's is the king of dive bars and the home of the best Jucy Lucy in the Twin Cities (although some may disagree, but you can trust us, we have a food blog). It will not disappoint. 

Whitney and I are so thrilled to bring you our own version of a Juicy Lucy, this "little" burger is jam packed full of flavor. Our rendition will bring you endless smiles, a full tummy, and if you make this for your friends they will be so blown away by your grilling skills and Jucy Lucy knowledge. 

Blueberry Corn Salad

1 pint of blueberries 

1 1/2 cups corn (from cooked cobs is best but frozen or canned work well)

1 cucumber, sliced and quartered

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 Tbls honey 

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Tbls lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Combine blueberries, corn, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeno in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together honey, olive oil, lime juice, and cumin.  Pour dressing over the corn and blueberry mixture.  Refrigerate for a 1/2 hour and lightly stir again before serving.  

Avocado Jucy Lucy

2 lbs ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

4- 1 inch cubes of cheddar cheese 

1 avocado 

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

1/8 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 a lime, juiced

Salt to taste

4 hamburger buns 

Pepper and season your beef as preferred.  Divide the beef into 8 portions, 4 of the portions being slightly smaller than the others.  Form a patty with each of the larger burger portions, making a large indent in the middle of each patty.  Place a cube of cheese in each patty, top with the smaller patties, and seal shut by pinching the beef together.  Refrigerate patties for at least a half an hour.  

In a large bowl combine, avocado, sun dried tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.  Mash and mix well.  

Remove burgers from refrigerator and lightly salt each patty.  Over a medium-high flame, cook each burger for 4-5 minutes on each side, taking special care to not cut or scrape the patty.  In the last two minutes of cooking, toast the buns.  Top each bun with a jucy lucy and the avocado mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Yields 4 burgers. 

Grocery List

2 lbs ground beef

cheddar cheese 

avocado 

sun dried tomatoes

cilantro

lime

blueberries 

corn 

cucumber

jalapeno

honey 

hamburger buns 

ground cumin

Estimated grocery bill... $27.50

Keep in mind... 

these burgers are bigger than your average patty because they have to hold in all that cheesy goodness. You might also have honey and cumin on hand which will lower your grocery bill.  You will also have leftover cheese, buns, and sun dried tomatoes.

Average cost per plate... $5.95

Try this meal with a... glass of red sangria. 

The delicious fruit and full bodied taste of red wine is perfect for the cheesy goodness of the jucy lucy.  The fact that it cold and refreshing is also a bonus. 

Happy Jucy Lucy Time!

Beth

BBQ Turkey {Burger} & Green Potato {Salad}

I have a couple of friends and family members that swear by using ground turkey instead of ground hamburger.  The benefits being less calories and a leaner meat.  This week, Bethany and I wanted to give turkey burgers a try.  The result was great--tasty and healthy-- but we made sure to do our research first.

As a meat eater but meat skeptic, I will always recommend that you buy organic, hormone-free, local, and/or free-range meats... this applies to ground turkey as well (it's simple, think about you and think about the animals).  I will spare you the horror stories and assume that you know it is worth the extra cost.  If you are on a budget I urge you to go vegetarian a few nights a week in order to feed yourself quality meat.

Because turkey is leaner than beef you need to grill it over a smaller, less intense flame and make sure that it is cooked through to avoid bacteria resonating in the meat.  Because it is a leaner meat you might also want to include more spice to the mixture and a sauce while grilling to avoid dry burgers devoid of flavor. We added cilantro, celery, and sauce to our patties and then basted the patties with the same sweet barbecue sauce while grilling to round out a delicious, good-for-you burger.  Throw on some sauted peppers and onions with a layer of mild gouda, pair with my mom's favorite green potato salad, and you have one outrageously tasty meal.

BBQ Turkey Burger

1 lb of ground turkey
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small, yellow onion, sliced
1 small orange pepper, sliced
1 Tbls olive oil
4 palm size slices of gouda cheese
4 sesame buns
Butter to taste

In a large bowl combine turkey, celery, cilantro, 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce, and pepper to taste.  Mix with a large spoon or spatula.  Form into four patties, cover, and refrigerate for at least a half an hour.

While the burgers are cooling you can prep your onion and peppers by slicing them into bite-size strips.  Saute them over medium-high heat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Cover or keep warm on low until burgers are cooked.

Lightly salt each burger.  Over a medium-high grill, cook burgers 4-5 minutes on each side.  After flipping the burgers, lightly coat each patty with the remaining 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce.  With two minutes left to cook, add a generous amount of sauted onions and peppers and top with gouda cheese. Arrange buttered buns on the edge of the grill to be toasted.  Cover the grill and cook for the remaining 2 minutes.

Carefully remove the burgers and assemble with the buns.  Serve immediately with a side of extra barbecue sauce.

Yields 4 burgers.

Linda's Favorite Green Potato Salad

2 lbs small new potatoes, quartered
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup cilantro leaves
3 green onions, white and light green portions chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add new potatoes and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the quartered pieces are easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and set potatoes aside to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor combine mayonnaise, cilantro, green onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Blend until the dressing is smooth and a light green color through out.

Lightly fold the dressing over the potatoes with a rubber spatula, adding the dressing a little at a time as not to "over-dress" the potatoes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and for up to 4 days.

Grocery List

2 lbs new potatoes

cilantro

green onions

garlic

celery

yellow onion

orange pepper

1 lb ground turkey

mayonnaise

barbecue sauce

sesame buns

gouda cheese

Estimated grocery bill... $27

Keep in mind... 

you will most likely have mayo on hand and you will have left over veggies, barbecue sauce, buns, and cheese.  You can splurge on the gouda or you can buy a cheaper version from a chain dairy company.

Average cost per plate... $5.00

Try this meal with a... glass of Pinot Grigio.  

Bethany and I bought a bottle of Woodbridge Pinot Grigio to go with our turkey burgers and the cool, crisp taste was perfect with the sweet barbecue and peppers.  Woodbridge is also an affordable bottle which is great for a twenty-something's pocket book.  Heck, this burger would make a bottle of 3 buck chuck from Trader Joe's taste amazing.  

Much love and grilling, 

Whit

Ham, Bacon, & Pepper Jack {Burger} & Strawberry, Watermelon {Salad}

If this burger were a person it would be your motorcycle riding, free speaking, beer drinking, leather sporting cousin.  If this salad were a person it would be your book reading, flower loving, rule abiding, sweet tea sipping, strawberry blonde best friend. Well, your cousin and your best friend just met and it is going to be one hell of good a summer.

Our ham and bacon burger has enough meat to sink the food guide pyramid and a pepper jack cheese sauce so sinfully delicious it can't possibly be good for diabetics.  Like colors on the color wheel, this burger is perfectly complemented by its opposite.  Ripe strawberries, juicy watermelon, soft mozzarella, fresh mint, and a poppy seed dressing provide the perfectly balanced companion to such a brawny burger.

So grab your cousins and your best friends, fire up the grill, and witness as opposites attract.

Ham, Bacon, & Pepper Jack Cheese Burger

1 lb ground hamburger
Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
1/4 lb thinly sliced ham
1/2 lb thick cut bacon
4 Hamburger buns
3 Tbls butter
3 Tbls flour
1 cup of milk
6 oz shredded pepper jack cheese (3/4 of an 8 oz block)

Prepare meat patties by mixing ground hamburger, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.  Gently form patties with your hands, cover, and refrigerate for at least a half an hour. (For tips on grilling burgers see our post from early this week.)

Cook bacon over medium heat in a large frying pan until crispy.  Place on a paper towel to dry and slightly cool.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Once butter has melted, slowly whisk in flour to create a roux.  Continue whisking until the roux becomes a light brown color.  Slowly whisk in the milk; stir for one minute.  Add the shredded cheese in 2 oz portions and stir until the sauce is hot and creamy thoughout.  The sauce should slightly stick to the whisk.  If the consistency is not right you can add milk to thin the sauce and flour to thicken.  Lower the temperature and keep warm until burgers are ready.

Prepare grill, lightly salt each patty, and cook burger patties to your preference over a medium-high flame.  When the burgers have about 2 minutes left, top each burger with a few ham slices and cooked bacon and cover.  This will warm the bacon and ham to the temperature of the burger.

Top your top buns with about a tablespoon of cheese sauce and your bottom buns with the burger, ham, and bacon.  (Don't forget to toast the buns!) Serve immediately.

Yields 4 burgers.

Notes

Serve with jalapenos for added kick or caramelized onions for flavor.

Use your leftover cheese sauce throughout the week for dipping tortilla chips, topping baked potatoes, or drizzled on grilled peppers with onion and steak.

Fresh & Fruity Poppy Seed Skewers

8 medium sized skewers
12-14 strawberries, cleaned, stemmed, and halved
1/2 small seedless watermelon, cut or balled into 1/2 inch pieces
1 8 oz package small or medium mozzarella balls
8 leaves fresh mint
3 Tbls vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbls olive oil
1/2 Tbls cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbls poppy seeds

Assemble skewers with desired amount of cut strawberry, watermelon, mozzarella, and mint.

In a food processor combine yogurt, mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, and sugar.  Blend until smooth.  Stir in poppy seeds.

Drizzle each assembled skewer with about a 1/2 tablespoon of dressing.  Serve immediately.

Yields 8 skewers or 4 servings.

Notes

Store leftover dressing in refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

If you don't want to do skewers you can toss the ingredients and dressing with a spinach or romaine salad.

For an added savory flavor you can toss a couple of tablespoons of minced and sauted onion or shallot into the food processor for the dressing.

Grocery List

{Note: Grocery lists do not contain staple items like salt, pepper, oil, butter, sugar, and flour and the estimated cost per plate only includes the amount of the ingredient used, not its total cost.}

1 lb ground hamburger

1/4 lb ham

1/2 lb bacon

milk

pepper jack cheese

mozzarella balls

vanilla yogurt

garlic powder

mayonnaise

cider vinegar

poppy seeds

wooden skewers

hamburger buns

strawberries

seedless watermelon

mint

Estimated grocery bill... $42 

Keep in mind... 
You might have milk, mayo, garlic powder, and vinegar on hand which will lower your grocery bill.  You will also have leftover cheese sauce, poppy seed dressing, mozzarella, yogurt, hamburger buns, strawberries, watermelon, and mint.  These leftovers can be used for lunches or alongside more dinners in the week.

Average cost per plate... $5.65


Try this meal with a... pint of Pale Ale.

This burger and salad combo is perfect for a good weeknight splurge.  We paired our meal with a hearty but crisp, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. No one wants to drink a second meal with this meaty burger but the beef and ham call for something thirst quenching to sip on by the grill or at the picnic table.  The pale ale was light enough to keep us from becoming overly full but strong enough to handle the flavors of the meal.

All together it was a great meal!

Much love and grilling!

-Whit

Summer /// Burger Basics /// Salad Sides

Apparently this is the summer of "weeks"! After finishing up Beer Week we are back at it again!  With summer in full swing Bethany and I have been spending a lot of time making meals outside and we are so excited to bring you what we feel is our best work yet- The Burgers and Salads of Summer.

When Beth first suggested this idea in the late spring I knew it was going to be a great project.  What I didn't expect was to learn so much and fall so in love with these simple and beautiful recipes of summer.  We have truly had a great time preparing this series for you.

Each post will feature an original burger and salad recipe, carefully crafted by Bethany and I to compliment each other.  Each meal will also provide a beer and wine pairing true to the season and the recipes. We are even throwing in a grocery list, estimated cost at the store, and cost per plate.

To start we wanted to offer some burger basics and grilling tips.  While we are going to feature alternative burgers such as turkey and vegetarian, the following tips (mostly) apply to the traditional beef burger.

1. Choose Quality Meat

Make sure to pick up the freshest ground beef from your trusted meat counter. You want to choose ground chuck as it will provide the juiciest burger. You can experiment with mixing in different cuts as you become a burger expert.  One of the bests mixtures is 50/50 ground chuck and ground sirloin.

It is recommended that you go no leaner than 80 percent as the grill will dry out the meat under high heat. (If you want a leaner percentage make sure to add juicy ingredients and spices for flavor.  You'll also want to cook the burger over medium heat rather than high flame to compensate for the lack of fat that seals in flavor when the burger is seared.)

Don't forget about your community! Ask your butcher for meat from a local farmer. You won't regret it.

2. Do Not Over Mix

Whether you are adding simple seasonings or off-the-wall, wild ingredients you do not want to over-mix the combinations.  Over-mixing leads to tough burgers. Lightly fold ingredients in with a wooden spoon and roughly form patties with your hands. (Run your hands under cold water to lightly wet them before making patties, this prevents sticking.)  Reign in your inner OCD because if the patties aren't perfect that is just fine! They will change shape on the grill anyway and while appearance means a lot it isn't worth sacrificing flavor and texture.

3. Do Not Salt

Adding salt to your meat can dry it out, especially if you are making the patties ahead of time.  Rather then mixing it in, lightly dust each patty just before they go on the grill.  This way your burgers will still have flavor but without popcorn kernel density.

4. Make a Depression

To avoid burgers that look as pregnant as Kim Kardashian in her 3rd trimester you'll want to press the middle of your patties down. Thicker edges and a thin center will even out on the grill and you will avoid making swollen burgers like a rookie. After you have formed the patties make sure to cool them down for at least a half an hour in the refrigerator.  Place the burger on the grill with the indent facing up.

5. Don't Press the Burger Down

Pressing the burger down releases all the delicious juices that give the meat its flavor and keep it from drying out! If you don't trust yourself with the spatula ask a good friend to supervise.

6. Use a Hot Grill

This grill (and Bethany) are both smoking hot.  You want to sear in the flavor and slightly caramelize the meat to get the best tasting burgers.  To do this you will need to start with a hot fire- you can always adjust the heat or flame after the burger hits the grill.  Place the patties directly over the flame and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.  If you are adding cheese you want to put that on in the last 2 minutes of cooking along with the buns around the edge of the grill to be toasted.

7. Know When the Burgers Are Cooked

--145 degrees F is Rare to Medium-Rare
--150 degrees F is Medium
--160 degrees F is Medium-Well to Well

A good trick is to lightly push on the patty with the tip of your finger.  If it feels like the tip of your nose it is Rare to Medium-Rare done and if it feels like your forehead it is Medium-Well to Well done.

Preparing & Pairing Salads

Salads- whether they have lettuce, noodles, potatoes, or fruit- are perfect for burgers.  The wide range of tastes and textures can make for a great meal.  Here is a list of things to keep in mind when making salads to go with your burgers.

Prep & Cook Time

Because burgers take very little cook time you want to be sure that you aren't throwing a potato salad together as the patties are coming off the grill.  In fact, many salads (like potato) are best after they have been chilled for several hours and the flavors have had a chance to meld.  This also saves you time if you are having guests over.  Everyone can be outside gathered around the grill, sipping drinks, and enjoying the weather if the tossed salad is already made and waiting in the refrigerator.

Type of Salad

If you are serving a pasta, potato, or coleslaw salad you can make it the day before and keep chilled in the refrigerator.  If the salad contains mayonnaise bring it out right before dinner, keep it cool on a bed of ice if you are worried about the heat or serving time, and return any leftovers to the refrigerator.  Fruit salads should be made the day of and only a few hours before consumption as berries tend to stain serving dishes after being cut and fruit can get watery.  Lettuce or spinach salads need to be made the day of as well but all fruit and vegetables can be prepped the day before.  A few hours before the meal you can mix the ingredients in a large bowl and cover with a damp paper towel.  Add croutons, nuts, cheese, and dressing just before tossing.  

Dressing

Whether you are tossing a caesar salad or tuna pasta salad you want to always start by mixing in less dressing than you think you need.  It is so much easier to throw in more mayo than it is to run to the store and buy more lettuce or pasta to save an over-dressed salad.

Round Out Your Meal

Planning on making burgers the size of your face? Complete your meal with a light green salad.  Are you saving calories and going turkey or veggie tonight?  Splurge and make a deliciously bad for you potato or pasta salad.  Are you preparing a simple burger? Spend some extra time in the kitchen on a complicated recipe you have been dying to try!  Flavor has a lot to do with pairing and planning your meals but you should also keep in mind your time, money, and health.

So grab a cold beer or a glass of wine and get grilling! Check-in all week long for delicious burger recipes and scrumptious salads!

Grill on,

Whitney