Cheeseburger tips for Dad

Three times a year I find myself with the same dilemma: what to get my dad for his birthday, Christmas or Father’s Day. He’s a tough person to shop for since he doesn’t do the basic ‘Dad’ stuff. Not only is he not a golfer, but he doesn’t wear ties to work and he has no nifty collections that need augmentation.

Fortunately, my dad does like to grill. And, since the day he discovered instant read thermometers, he’s actually become pretty good at it.

Last week Dad called me up to ask questions about cheeseburgers. It was obvious that he doesn’t read the cookbooks I write since he wanted to know if I had any recipes for burgers that

1. have cheese fillings
2. are coated with sauces.

My last book, Dana’s Top Ten Table, contains 20 burger recipes, many of which are saucy, cheesy or both. So much for having a home grown fan base!

The good news is that I can take this info and make my Dad a little cheeseburger kit for Father’s Day and he won’t know I’m using old material.

Here are some of the tips I’m going to include in his burger kit as well as a recipe for Gourmet Brie Burgers (pictured above). They’re both saucy and cheesy, which makes them pretty much made to order for my Dad!

Tips for My Dad the Cheeseburger Lover:

• Top burgers with sliced cheese only after they are cooked to the desired internal temperature. Adding cheese too early can lead to tough, greasy cheese.
• If topping burgers with crumbled cheese (such as Stilton, Feta, etc), add the cheese to the warm burgers after they’ve been removed from the grill. These cheeses will soften and begin to melt just from the heat in the meat.
• If adding cheese to the inside of a burger to make a molten centre, use cold cheese and ensure it is fully encased by the meat. If there are any gaps, the cheese will drip out into the grill and cause flare-ups. Besides the recipe below which uses Brie, cheddar, Stilton and other semi-soft and firm cheeses can be used as fillings, too. In fact, this recipe I developed for Heinz several years ago is a great example of how to use sliced cheese as a burger filling.
• Adding shredded cheese to burgers is becoming a popular technique in recipes; however, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. I find that the shredded cheese on the outside surface of the burger scorches easily and you never get a good cheesy bite. Instead the shredded cheese makes the burger seem greasy.

Dana’s Gourmet Brie Burger

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes

There will never be any shame in serving these super thick, molten cheese filled patties at a dinner party! In fact, you may even get applause. Superbly decadent and wonderfully impressive looking, these glossy burgers are in the same league as fillet mignon but much less expensive to make.

Brie is a soft, mild cheese with a downy, edible rind. As the burgers cook, it will become molten and saucy. Mmmm! As exciting to look at as they are to eat!

1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp (30 mL) ketchup
1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey
2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, melted
2 lb (1 kg) ground sirloin
1/4 lb (125 g) cold Brie cheese or Camembert, cut into 6 equal-sized cubes
1/2 cup (125 mL) barbecue sauce

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Whisk the egg with the ketchup, honey, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk in the butter until completely combined. Crumble the meat into a large bowl using your fingers. Pour in the egg mixture and gently blend into meat until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with perforated grill foil or greased heavy duty foil that has been pierced all over to allow drainage. Divide the meat mixture into 12 portions. Gently pat one portion of meat into a 1 cup (250 mL) dry measuring cup. Add a piece of the cheese and another portion of meat. Pat firmly to compress the mixture so that the cup is filled to about 3/4 full, making a very thick patty with the cheese sealed inside. Run a butter knife or another knife around the edge of the measuring cup and turn each patty out onto the foil-lined tray. Repeat with remaining meat and cheese.

Transfer the burger-topped tray to the grill. Slide the foil onto the grate. Cook the burgers for 6 minutes. Turn and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, turning at least once and basting often with barbecue sauce, for about 15 minutes longer or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of each patty registers 170F (85C). Serve patties on buns with traditional burger condiments or with a side dish such as roasted potatoes or baked sweet potatoes. Makes 6 burgers.

Variation:
Bacon-wrapped Brie burgers: Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each raw patty. Tie a piece of butcher’s twine around each patty until snug but not tight. Proceed as directed above.

Recipe and photo from Dana’s Top Ten Table: 200 Fresh Takes on Family-Favourite Meals. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Copyright (c) 2007 by Dana McCauley. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Basic burger tips

All winter I dream about sun-drenched summer evenings and eating a juicy char-grilled burger fresh off the grill. Bliss! As it happens I’m not alone. According to a study conducted by Weber Barbecues, 98% of Canadians like to grill burgers of one kind or another in the summer. Although it wasn’t super warm last night, it was sun drenched so Oliver and I did indeed grill burgers and the results were stellar!

So fellow burger lovers follow these suggestions for making terrific tasting burgers from pantry ingredients. I’ve tried to give you a summer’s worth of tips so I hope you’ll bookmark this page.

The Basic Burger

1 small onion, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp (45 mL) barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh bread crumbs
1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef

Preheat grill to medium-high. Mix onion, garlic, egg, barbecue sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined in a large bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs. Crumble beef into bowl and toss gently until evenly combined.

Divide mixture into four. Use your hands to shape meat into 4 patties, each about 4-inches (10-cm) wide. Lightly grease grill and add patties. Grill, covered and turning just once, for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the patties is 71°C (160°F). Makes 4 burgers.

10 Beyond Basic Burgers

1. Ginger-scallion: Substitute 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped green onions (also called scallions) for grated onion. Omit barbecue sauce and add 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh ginger and 3 tbsp (45 mL) soy sauce to meat mixture. Ideal for ground beef or pork.
2. Texas: Omit barbecue sauce and add 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder and 1 tsp (5 mL) oregano leaves. Ideal with ground beef.
3. Moroccan: Omit barbecue sauce and add 1 tsp (5 mL) dried mint, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each cinnamon, cumin and coriander seed and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot pepper sauce. Excellent with ground lamb, pork or chicken.
4. Lemon-dill: Omit barbecue sauce and add 11/2 tsp (7 mL) dried dillweed and 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated lemon zest. Ideal with ground veal or chicken.
5. Greek: Omit barbecue sauce and increase garlic to 2 cloves. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) each dried mint, oregano and dill, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon and cumin and finely grated lemon peel. Good with lamb or pork.
6. Caesar: Replace barbecue sauce with 1/4 cup (50 mL) creamy Caesar salad dressing and bread crumbs with grated Parmesan cheese.
7. Peking: Omit salt and replace barbecue sauce with hoisin sauce and substitute 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped green onions for grated onion. Increase garlic to 2 cloves. Good with ground beef or chicken.
8. Thai: Replace barbecue sauce with 1 tbsp (30 mL) each fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lime peel and 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped fresh coriander. Increase breadcrumbs to 1/2 cup (125 mL). Press 1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds into patties as they are being shaped. Good for ground chicken.
9. Pesto: Replace barbecue sauce with 3 tbsp (45 mL) basil pesto and 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon peel. Good for beef or veal.
10. Pizza: Replace barbecue sauce with tomato sauce. Add 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped black olives, 1 tsp (5 mL) each dried basil and oregano and 1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded Italian blend cheese.

Dana’s Hot Tips for super sizzling burgers:

• For homemade club pack convenience, make double or triple batches of patties. Layer them between pieces of waxed paper and freeze. Be sure to make patties no more than 1/2-in (1-cm) thick so that they will grill quickly and evenly from their frozen state.
• To grill 1/2-in (1 cm) thick frozen burgers, reduce heat to medium and grill for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once.
• Although choosing extra lean ground meat for burgers has health appeal, burgers made with lean and medium ground meats will be juicier and freeze better.
• For tender burgers, form patties by pressing the ingredients together lightly so that the mixture doesn’t become too compacted.
• If making cheeseburgers, drape cheese over patties and cover for the last 60 seconds cooking time.
• For optimum safety, choose meat at the grocers with today’s packaging date, then prepare and cook or freeze patties on the same day.
• No matter how you like your steak, always cook burgers to well-done to ensure that any bacteria the meat may have come in contact with while being ground is eliminated.

Get more burger grilling tips from the experts at Health Canada.

Celebrate spring by grilling!

All across this great nation spring is, if not in full bloom, at least in the air at last. That means that many of us will be turning our thoughts to grilling once again. The first flush of grilling euphoria is usually happily satisfied with a juicy burger or a competently cooked steak. To ensure that our first efforts this year are as enjoyable as the practiced ones were at the end of the season last year, I thought we should revisit the basics this week. This week I promise to share my grilling wisdom, such as it is. Whether you use this info this week or wait one or two or a few more, I hope this series of posts will put you in to a warm weather state of mind.

But, before we get cooking, let’s kick off the grilling season with some tips about buying a grill:

I find shopping (except for food and throw cushions – don’t ask, I know it’s weird) generally daunting but buying a barbecue can be a truly overwhelming experience for anyone. How do you choose between the copious number of models available within the staggering price range out there? It’s not easy my friends, so take a moment and read these few points. They might help you when you get to the store:

• BTU’s (British thermal units) measure a grill’s maximum heat output. More doesn’t mean better, just hotter. Plus, the more BTU’s, the more gas the grill burns and the more expensive it is to operate.
• Assess your needs. For most families a 400 square inch grill is sufficient and will allow you to grill more than one recipe at a time. Remember that you only need a space about the size of one hand to cook enough food for one person.
• Buy a grill with a rotisserie spit attachment if you like to cook whole chickens or large cuts of meat. Rotisserie cooking bastes foods continuously with natural juices and prevents food from scorching. It’s one of the summertime pleasures I look forward to all winter long.
• Manufacturers say modern stainless steel grates are better than cast iron or porcelain grates found on less expensive grills since the convex shape of today’s stainless steel grates traps heat, making up for the fact stainless steel is a poor conductor. Stainless steel and porcelain also won’t rust and don’t need to be seasoned the way cast iron does. That said, professional chefs stand by their cast iron grills for durability, even heat distribution and great grill marks. Whatever the material, grates should be thick enough to sear meat nicely.
• Natural gas grills cost significantly less to operate than propane grills and you never have to worry about running out of fuel. That said, the cost of having an outdoor natural gas hook-up installed is at least $125 and it cuts down on the flexibility of moving your grill. This is a consideration since more of us are barbecuing year round and most people like to move the barbecue to a more sheltered spot once fall arrives.
• Check for wobbling. If the stand wobbles on the showroom floor just imagine what cooking will be like when it’s sitting on interlocking brick.
• What’s under the grill? Good gas grills have ceramic briquettes or heat deflector plates that disperse heat evenly, create smoke when juices dribble down, and act as a buffer between the heat source and the food to prevent flare-ups.
• Ignition switches help to light the grill safely and quickly without using lighter fluid or matches.
• Domed lids reduce cooking time, conserve fuel and trap in the smoke that makes food tasty. High domes mean larger foods like turkeys and roasts can be cooked. Best quality grill lids are coated in porcelain to create a thermal convection style-cooking chamber.
• Consider how difficult the unit will be to assemble and transport home. Average assembly times for gas grills is 2 1/2 hours so you may want to buy from a store that offers assembly and local delivery (usually about $50 extra).
• Charcoal grills have the advantage of being portable but require patience and finesse to create a good fire. They are less expensive at the outset but over time cost more to fuel than gas grills. Good charcoal grills have a steady base, a firebox that is easy to empty, good flow through ventilation, an easily raised or lowered heavy-duty grate and a domed lid with adjustable vent holes in the top.

And that is what I have to say about buying a grill. May the force be with you as you shop!

Onions offer layers of possibility

Even when the pantry is empty, there are usually onions in most kitchens. And believe it or not, the humble onion — when caramelized — can come to dinner’s rescue.

Caramelized onions are incredibly versatile. I always have a container ready and waiting for me in the freezer and the ingredients to make more are always on my shopping list. Saucy, soft slow-cooked onions can be added to mashed potatoes for a chef-style twist or used as a topper for a steak or a baked potato.

One of my favourite uses for caramelized onions is as a topper for pizza (I make the one pictured above often). Likewise, pork chops sautéed with apples also love caramelized onions and adding them to a juicy grilled burger is blissful, indeed!

The basic steps required to caramelize onions are simple:
-Toss sliced onions with melted butter in a heavy skillet set over medium-low heat.
-Add a clove of minced garlic and a little dried or fresh thyme leaves.
-Partially cover the pan and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.
-When the onions are very soft, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Brown slightly.
-Sprinkle the onions with a little granulated sugar and sauté, stirring constantly, until well-browned and very soft.
-Deglaze the pan (loosen the cooked-on brown bits) with a few tablespoons of dry sherry or chicken broth.
-Stir in a splash of cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Check out my recipe for Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Lasagna at homemakers.com.

How do you use caramelized onions?