I love to make all kinds of exotic, ethnic, fun foods. Risottos, falafel, pupusas, lumpia, whatever. I’ll try it, and they’re all real yummy. But I married one picky eater. Those things don’t get him psyched for dinner. Jim’s favorite food? Cheeseburgers. So I reign in my (probably overly) elitist cultural tastes (okay, yeah, overly for sure) and get back to basics to make Jimbo dinner.
And you know what? Classics are classics for a reason. They’re delicious.*
This burger recipe is pretty aggressively seasoned and impossible to overcook. If you think the recipe resembles meatloaf, you would be 100% right. It is the kind of burger you can expect at a steakhouse! Or at our house on date night 🙂
*Jim and I had a date once where I made the burgers and he made chocolate shakes. Wow. We still talk about that dinner. Those shakes were life changing. I should do a shake recipe with him…
Last Saturday was Jim’s and my date night. I made the burgers while he toasted the buns. (I trust Jim wholeheartedly to butter toast and buns. He butters bread just like his mom and grandpa. He uses a very liberal amount of butter and this makes him an invaluable sous chef.)
On our honeymoon, Jim bought me a silicon Mickey Mouse pancake mold, and I used it to melt cheddar cheese into the shape of Mickey. It looked great on my cheeseburger, but I was so hungry, I ate it before the camera could get to it.
I also made homemade tater tots to go with our burgers, and while I really don’t recommend the recipe I used (so much pepper!?) the experience is worth attempting again, so stay tuned. Tots and shakes on the way! ‘Til then, order up!
Steakhouse Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 slice White bread crust removed
- 2½ tbsp Milk
- 1¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced ¼ tsp garlic powder is a fine substitute
- ½ tsp Ground black pepper
- ¾ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 lb Ground beef 85/15
- 4 Buns
- 4 Slices Cheddar cheese
- Onion, lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup as desired
Instructions
- Tear bread into small pieces and pour milk over it. Add salt, garlic, pepper, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir with a spatula and add beef. Do not over mix.
- Form into patties with a dimple in the center. Grill on a cast iron skillet, griddle, or grill for approximately 3-5 minutes per side. Add cheese in the last minute and serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.
- *To toast buns, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Liberally butter buns and broil face side up for 1-3 minutes, or until golden.