German Burgers w/ Beer Onions

Hey all!  It's been a while since I've blogged but I was really missing it so I'm back with this delicious burger!  

Let me start by saying that my husband LOVES burgers -- I really like them but I could take it or leave it -- in my quest to eat healthy, they sometimes just don't fit into my diet.  But lately we have been taking our burgers to the next level by grinding our own meat.  If you haven't done this yet, you simply MUST!  Grinding your own meat allows you to pick and choose which types of beef you'd like, how lean you like it and you can go ahead and grind in anything with the meat such as onion or...BACON {a personal fav of husband}.  Plus when you grind your own meat, you get this fresh and pure flavor that just cannot be achieved using pre-ground packaged meat from the store.  

We have been testing different combinations of meat for our burgers and last night we used a 50/50 mix of short rib and sirloin.  When choosing a combination, make sure to pick one meat that has a bit of marbling to it {fat} so that you don't end up with dry burgers.  If your meat doesn't have a lot of fat {like if you are grinding  pork loin or chicken} go ahead and grind in a couple strips of bacon.  

So this particular burger was delicious for a few reasons: 1. fresh ground beef, 2. bacon-cheddar cheese, 3. pretzel buns, 4. beer caramelized onions.  My mouth just filled up with saliva reliving this....  Here comes the recipe!

German Burgers w/ Beer Onions (makes 2 gluttonous burgers w/ double patties or 4 burgers for normal human beings)

For Burger Patties:

1/2 lb beef short rib meat, cubed
1/2 lb beef sirloin, cubed
salt and pepper

For Onions:

1 medium sized onion, sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper
dash of worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. of beer 

Assembly and toppings:

2 or 4 pretzel buns {found mine at Trader Joe's}
butter
Shaved Bacon-Cheddar cheese {also Trader Joe's}
lettuce
pickle
deli mustard

1.  Start with the onions by heating up some olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add your onions and season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring often, until they begin to caramelize {about 7 to 10 minutes}.  Add worcestershire sauce and beer and stir to combine.  Cook until the liquid is reduced, about 5 more minutes.  Set aside.

2.  Grind your meat!  I used the meat grinder attachment on my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer -- so happy that I can get EVEN MORE use out of this kitchen appliance.  Season meat with salt and pepper and form into 4 thin patties.  Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat.  Add a little olive oil to the pan then throw on your burgers.  Cook for about 5 minutes {let them get a nice crust}.  Flip burgers, top with cheese and cover with a lid so the cheese melts.  Remove burger patties to a plate.

3.  Butter those pretzel buns and give them a quick toast on your skillet or griddle now get ready to assemble the burgers: bottom bun, mustard, lettuce, patties {double them if you are really splurging like we did}, beer onions, pickles, top of bun!  Now there's nothing left to do but eat...

Oktoberfest & Schnitzel

The main entrance to Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest may have been the last stop on our trip to Europe, but it was definitely my favorite.  I found that Munich reminded me a lot of a typical American city, bustling with people, big buildings, corner restaurants and taxi cabs.  It was a comforting feeling of familiarity when I was starting to feel slightly homesick.

The Oktoberfest is simply amazing -- a must-see for anyone who likes to party, have fun, sing songs, drink beer, people watch and eat pretzels the size of your head.  The carnival outside the tents is packed with street food {schnitzel sandwiches, brats, gingerbread cookie hearts covered in German/Bavarian sayings and worn as a necklace}, rides and games.  The beer is carted in on horse-drawn carriages and the beer tents are where the real party happens.  They are packed with tables where guests sit and are served liter beers and food while meeting new table-mates and singing German drinking songs played by the band.  Each tent is named for the type of beer that they serve. 

Bringing in the Beer!

As the day goes on, the crowd gets quite lively.  They move from sitting down to standing on their seats, to dancing on their seats, then dancing on the tables themselves.  All of this is encouraged. {And by the way....I was nervous to enter the bathrooms at a party of this magnitude but I went in all day and night to find them spotless and fully stocked with TP at all times! }

Amazing panoramic of the Spaten tent 

Now to the food!  The night before the ‘fest, we ate at a German restaurant that my husband deemed “the best meal he ate on vacation”.  Pork Wiener Schnitzel with German Potato and Cucumber Salad.  Amazing.  Usual schnitzel recipes call for simple ingredients of pork with a breading of egg and plain bread crumbs, fried and served with lemon....but this was a special breed of schnitzel...juicy pork with a tang of mustard and horseradish.  I knew it would be the first meal I replicated at home.  The potato-cucumber salad was fantastic; creamy, yet vinegary.  The cucumbers add a lovely crunch and brightness to the dish!  Serve these recipes up with some good cold beers and you’ll be feeling like a German in no time!

Wiener Schnitzel

Marinade:

1/3 c. cider vinegar

3 tbsp grainy dijon mustard

1 heaping tbsp prepared horseradish

4 pork cutlets or chops, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

1/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c. bread crumbs

2 eggs

vegetable oil for frying

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag and add pork to bag.  Place in refrigerator and marinate 2 hours.
2. Set up three shallow dishes.  Place the flour and 1/2 tsp salt in one and breadcrumbs in another.  Beat eggs well and place in a third dish.
3. Heat at least 1/4 inch of oil in a frying pan to 350 degrees.
4. Working one at a time, dredge cutlets first in flour until surface is completely dry.  Dip in egg to coat, allow excess to drip off then quickly roll in breadcrumbs until coated.  Place meat immediately in pan with hot oil.  Do not crowd pan.  Cook in batches if necessary.
5. Fry the schnitzel for 3 to 4 minutes on one side.  Turn them over once and fry until both sides are golden brown.  Remove from pan and place on plate with lemon slices. 

German Potato-Cucumber Salad

from Edible Austin

2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

1 small white onion, chopped

1 English cucumber, seeded, halved and sliced

1/4 c. tarragon vinegar

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 to 2 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1.  Boil potatoes until soft but firm.  Cool them in an ice bath.  Once cooled, cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.  Add parsley, onion, cucumber, vinegar and oil.  Mix well.  Stir in chicken broth.  If more broth is needed to moisten, add up to 1/2 cup.  Add 1 tsp sugar, salt and pepper.  Taste and add more sugar, if desired.