My Best Burger

Recipe courtesy of Katie Lee

Show: The Kitchen

Episode: Up Your Grill Game

Butter, at room temperature, for the buns and griddle

8 sesame burger buns 

1 pound ground brisket 

1 pound ground chuck 

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

8 slices Cheddar

8 slices yellow American cheese 

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced 

1 tomato, thinly sliced 

Hamburger pickles, for topping

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded 

Mayonnaise, for spreading

To Make:

Generously butter the flat sides of the burger buns. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the brisket, chuck, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Divide the mixture into 8 even portions and form into patties.

Heat a cast-iron griddle or skillet over high heat and brush with butter. Put the burgers on the hot griddle and season with a sprinkle of salt. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes, then flip and top each with a slice of Cheddar and a slice of American (form a "star" with the cheese slices so the cheese completely envelopes the burger patty). Cook, using a large metal bowl to dome the burgers and allow the cheese to melt, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the burgers to a baking sheet and dome with the bowl to keep hot. Place the buns on the griddle butter-side down to quickly toast.

Place the patties on the bottom buns and top with onions, tomatoes, pickles and a pile of lettuce. Spread a generous dollop of mayo on the top buns and place the buns on the burgers. Eat and enjoy!

The Burger Bar

Courtesy of Tyler Florence from Tyler's Ultimate

• BURGERS

• 2 lbs beef brisket, ground
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4 slices swiss cheese (thin slices)
• 4 hamburger buns, split (or other type of bun)

• SAUTEED MUSHROOMS

• 1 lb thickly sliced mushroom
• ¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
• 2 sliced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leave
• lemon juice (2 squeezes)

• CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• salt and pepper, to taste

• TOMATOES WITH SEA SALT AND CHIVES

• 2 lbs red and yellow beefsteak tomatoes
• olive oil (drizzle)
• sea salt
• ³⁄₄ cup chopped fresh chives

• BACON AND ROSEMARY

• ¹⁄₂ lb sliced bacon
• 1 sprig rosemary (strip the leaves)
• cracked black pepper

• HERBED HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• ¹⁄₄ cup freshly minced herbs (parsley, basil, chives or scallion)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• freshly cracked pepper
• 1 lemon, juice of

To  Make:

CARAMELIZED ONIONS:.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add onion slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook slowly until well caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

HERBED HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE:.
Stir together mayonnaise, horseradish, minced herbs, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS:.
Saute mushrooms in olive oil with sliced garlic and thyme leaves over super-high heat until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a couple of drops of fresh lemon juice.

BACON WITH ROSEMARY:.
Lay the sliced bacon on baking sheet, strip leaves from the sprig of rosemary and throw them on top of the bacon with lots of black pepper and roast at 400ºF till bacon is crisp, 10 minutes.

TOMATOES WITH SEA SALT AND CHIVES:.
Slice tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and chopped chives.

ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS:.
Preheat a large cast-iron skillet to medium hot.

Blot a small amount of oil on paper towel and CAREFULLY and quickly wipe the hot skillet to make a non-stick surface.

Season the ground meat in a bowl with salt and pepper.

Give it 3 turns in the bowl with your hands or a big spoon and it's done.

Shape into 4 patties.

When the skillet is hot, put the burgers on the skillet and cook 4 minutes on the first side and 5 on the second side for rare; 7 minutes per side for medium, adding the cheese during the final minute or two, to melt.

Remove the burgers to a platter.

Rub the skillet with paper towel to clean it again.

Then toast the buns cut side down for 1 minutes.

Serve the hamburgers in the buns with accompaniments above.
Enjoy!