Green Chile Cheeseburgers
If you’re like me and give a major side eye to the pumpkin recipes that start popping up this time of year, then this summer recipe is for you. After all, it’s still August and prime time for grilling season. I’d like to enjoy the rest of summer (burgers! ice cream! okra! tomatoes!), and posting fall recipes now just so they can get a lot of traffic is so not my style. Plus, you guys know I only post what we’re eating currently, and I am definitely not all about pumpkin when it’s over 100 degrees outside. What I am about, though, is dinner on the grill – burgers, sausages, and even salads.
Burgers, when made well, are one of my favorite things to eat off the grill. These burgers are a simple upgrade to standard burgers. Green chiles, onion and garlic are grilled and then chopped in the food processor to make a quick topping. Part of the mixture is processed further into a paste and mixed into the ground beef before forming the burger patties. There’s a little heat, along with a lot of smoky flavor from the grilled chiles. I typically don’t like cheese on my hamburgers, but I made an exception this time and am glad I did. The cheese and chiles combination reminds me a lot of this queso, so I was pretty certain I’d like it. Serve these burgers with grilled vegetables (I’m obsessed with grilled corn and okra this time of year), or if you really want to go all out, make a batch of these fries.
This recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen’s new book Master of the Grill. I love this book because it is broken down into sections based on difficulty – The Basics, Easy Upgrades, and The Serious Projects. Each section is further broken down into categories based on protein/vegetable/bread. That helps someone like me, who can be indecisive when all the recipes look and sound so good, make a decision more easily. Master of the Grill has a wide range of recipes, ranging from simple ones like this burger recipe to more complicated ones like smoked ribs. In addition to recipes, this book has plenty of practical advice for grilling – what type of charcoal works best, equipment reviews, and tips on everything from best grilling practices to how best to handle several different cuts and types of meat. Whether you’re just learning to grill or are a seasoned pro, there are recipes in here for you. Eric is the master griller in our house, but I felt like I could easily tackle any of these recipes.
Want a copy of Master of the Grill? To enter, leave a comment telling me what you’re grilling before summer ends.
Full disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by America’s Test Kitchen along with Cook Like a Champion. Giveaway will close on August 17. I received a copy of Master of the Grill to review, but all opinions are my own.
- YIELD: 4 burgers
3 Anaheim chiles, stemmed, halved and seeded
3 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 white onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
4 slices white American cheese
- 1
Prepare a charcoal grill. Open the bottom vent completely. Light a large chimney starter full of briquettes. When the top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Add the grate, cover and open vent completely. Heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
Alternately, heat a gas grill to high heat and cover.
- 2
Clean and oil the cooking grate. Add the chiles and onion and cook until lightly charred and tender, 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove skins from chiles and discard; separate the onion rounds into rings.
Transfer the chiles and onion to the bowl of a food processor. Add garlic and pulse 10 times or until coarsely chopped. Remove all but ¼ cup of the chile mixture to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Process the remaining mixture until smooth.
- 3
Combine the beef, chile puree, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Gently combine with your hands until well incorporated. Divide into 4 portions. Working with one portion at a time, lightly form into a ball. Gently flatten into a ¾-inch-thick patty. Press center of each patty down with your fingertips to create a ¼-inch-deep depression.
- 4
Place burgers on the grill and cook, covered, until browned on the first side, 3-5 minutes. Flip, then top each with the chile mixture and a slice of cheese. Continue to grill, covered, until the cheese has melted and burgers are cooked to your desired doneness, 3-5 minutes longer. Split buns and grill, if desired. Serve burgers immediately.
That looks amazing! I am going to grill pizza this summer 🙂
One of my favorite meals is grilled bone-in pork chops with grilled corn. So simple, but so delicious!
Teriyaki turkey burgers with swiss cheese. Usually add a pineapple slice, but put hot cherry peppers slices on them tonight.
Pork chops!! Love to grill them up with asparagus, brussel sprouts or foil packet potatoes!
Our favorite thing to grill is pizza!! Bobby Flay has an amazing recipe. 🙂
Fajitas, pork tenderloin, and pizza are our favorites on the grill!
smoked bourbon chicken from Cooks Country!
I’m not grilling anything yet, but maybe with this cookbook I would!
this year I’ve really enjoyed grilled chicken and veggies (bell peppers and onions) for delicious fajitas. Another favorite is grilled corn. So good!
I am a huge grilled okra fan too!
Grilled peaches for dessert with vanilla ice cream!
Grilling up a caesar salad, potato salad, and some southern shrimp burgers.