From the secret Wild Woman Tiny Kitchen lab I present to you the best cheeseburger.
Yeah yeah yeah, if you Google hamburgers everybody says their’s is the best. Well, I’m throwing my chef hat in the ring. The secret to these delicious cheeseburgers is cooking the hamburger to the right temperature, using Swiss instead of cheddar cheese (please, never put American cheese on anything), and taking an idea from Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches and spreading pâté on the bottom bun.
Summer ripened tomatoes, sweet onions, and peppery arugula add the extra flavor components. And don’t forget the pickle relish!
You also need a good quality bun. Brioche buns are both flavorful and sturdy.
The best beef for hamburgers is 80/20 ground chuck, which is 80% lean meat and 20% fat.
Serve with Smokey Skillet Grilled Corn On The Cob With Optional Mexican Street Sauce
EQUIPMENT: large cast iron skillet, fish flipper or spatula, Thermapen One
The Best Cheeseburgers
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes15
minutesIngredients
2 lb ground chuck (80/20 )
sea salt
freshly ground black peppercorns
8 slices Swiss cheese
4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
4 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise
3/4 cup pâté
16 leaves arugula
4 thick slices heirloom tomato, sprinkled with a little salt
4 thick slices sweet onion
4 tablespoons organic ketchup
4 tablespoons pickle relish
Directions
- Form meat into 4 round patties, slightly larger around than the buns. Use your thumb to make a depression in the middle of the top of each patty.
- Place a cast iron skillet over high heat. Allow the skillet to heat for 3 minutes.
- Season patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt.
- Add patties to skillet, dimple side up. Sear patties until the bottom is browned and the patties release easily using a spatula or the fish flipper.*
- Lower heat to medium and flip patties over.
- Grill until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Do not press down on the patties with the spatula and turn only once.
- Top burgers with two cheese slices each.
- Transfer patties to a plate and let rest.
- Spread mayonnaise on bottom buns. Next spread a generous amount of pâté on top. Divide and arrange arugula leaves over.
- Place a patty with the melted cheese on each.
- Arrange tomato and onion slices on each. Top with ketchup and pickle relish. Add top buns.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- *meat will not stick to a properly seasoned cast iron skillet.
