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...

{MiniChow} Meatball Sliders

Yesterday, the weather was almost cool here at the beach!  Today is even better -- sometimes a little break from this Southern summer heat is just what the doctor ordered.  I was outside enjoying the cloudy sky and below- 80 degree temperature when I decided it was time to make a little cozy meal for dinner... and nothing says cozy like a pot of sauce bubbling away on the stove and some deliciously moist meatballs baking in the oven.  

Now I don't know how you all like to make meatballs, I usually go for the bread soaked in milk trick, but these meatballs contain a cup of ricotta cheese to keep them moist so I gave it a whirl and boy were they great!  Definitely give these meatballs a try sometime, even if you just throw them in a bowl of pasta.  

On to the sauce -- everyone has their favorite and it's my personal taste to have a sauce that is just a teensy bit sweet.  Some people don't like this so feel free to omit the sugar in the recipe.  This sauce is super simple to put together but it really contains tons of flavor and pretty much impresses people every time they taste it.  
The sauce recipe makes more than you need for the sliders so save it for spaghetti the next day or simply freeze the leftovers for another time!  

{MiniChow} Meatball Sliders
adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, fresh grated
1 egg (beaten)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed between fingertips
salt and fresh black pepper
8 slider buns
4 slices sharp provolone cheese

Sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 c. dry red wine
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped


For Sauce:
Place a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Drizzle pan with olive oil and add onion.  Stir and cook until onions are starting to become translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic to the pan and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add red pepper flakes and wine to the pan and bring to a boil.  When wine is boiling, add sugar, salt and pepper.  Decrease heat to low and add can of tomatoes and 1/2 c. water.  Stir, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours.

For Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease with olive oil a large roasting pan or baking sheet with sides. In a large bowl combine all the meatball ingredients using your hands or a fork. Roll into large meatballs {this recipe should make 7 to 8 meatballs} place on baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.  Remove from oven. Place 1/2 slice of cheese on top of each meatball and top with a generous scoop of sauce.  Place meatballs back in the oven to allow cheese to melt. 

Assembly:
Butter and toast slider buns. Place a meatball on each slider bun and top with more sauce if desired.  

French Bistro Burgers

Who doesn't love a perfect burger?  I believe that the most important part of a burger is the bun and I'm constantly on the search for the perfect hamburger bun.  Honestly, I've thought of baking them myself but let's not kid ourselves....I might be getting a little better in the baking department but when it comes to baking bread...that is a completely different beast.  No.  So on I went looking for an airy bun that is burger-worthy. The grocery stores  just don't have the good stuff....I was about to start checking small bakeries when I hit the jackpot.  My husband and I were eating lunch at Fuddruckers' and I looked up and realized, "OMG, they sell their buns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  So there you have it.  Perfect burger buns for your home grilling!  And at 3 bucks for a half-dozen, you're getting a better deal than most grocery stores!  I am one happy girl!  

The next step in a great burger is to use a grill press like this one.  And I know the comments will flow out like, "oh, these press all those delicious juices out of the burger and you end up with a dried out hockey puck". Not so.  We used our grill press last night and trust me on this -- we still had juicy burgers and we also had burgers that fit on our buns and didn't shrink up on the grill -- I hate that!

Ok so here's the deal with this burger -- it's pretty much the best burger we've ever made in this house -- and we've made a lot of burgers.  I actually attribute most of its deliciousness to the bun but hey I'll throw myself a bone on the toppings as they were amazing.  If you're not a fan of brie then go ahead and use any cheese you prefer -- but the burger will no longer be "French". Sorry.   Bon Appetit!

French Bistro Burgers (makes 4)

4 hamburger buns, split
4 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked
1 small wheel of brie, sliced 
4 lettuce leaves

1.  Form patties by seasoning sirloin with salt and pepper and dividing the beef into 4 patties.  Set aside until ready to grill.
2.  Caramelize onions:  In a large pan over low heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and add onions, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook onions over low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are cooked through and caramelized.  Set aside.
3.  Grill burgers until desired done-ness (medium-well is preferred).  Butter each hamburger bun and place on grill until toasted.
4.  Assemble burgers:  place lettuce leaf on bottom half of bun.  Top with burger, sliced brie, bacon and onions.  Top with bun and take it to the mouth!

Double Bacon Burgers with Maple Worcestershire Onions

In honor of National Hamburger Month I’m giving you this monstrosity.  This burger is so fantastic there aren’t many words to describe it other than just plain gluttonous.  {Tomorrow will probably be a good time for a little SkinnyChow ;) } What I love most about it is the “double bacon” aspect of the recipe.  This doesn’t mean “Let’s just pile this burger with double the amount of bacon”, no.  This means “Let’s grind some raw bacon and mix it with the beef then top with more bacon!”  Ground. Bacon. Mixed. With. The. Beef. How have I not been doing this for years?!  Not only do you get that crunchy bacon on top but you get the smoky bacon flavor throughout the entire patty!  Mmm!

When you attempt something this delish, make sure you remember a few points: bacon has (a lot of) fat so when you grind it into your meat you are increasing the overall fat content.  This means that you can start with a more lean ground beef and still get a juicy burger.  Next, be mindful about your grilling -- the increased fat makes grill flare-ups a lot easier so pay attention.  Lastly, don’t skimp on the condiments.  This burger is flavorful on it’s own but the sweet onion topping and dijon mustard really bring it all together!  

Double Bacon Burgers with Maple Worcestershire Onions

adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

12 slices bacon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

2 tbsp butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. maple syrup

3 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 lbs ground beef sirloin

2 tbsp grainy dijon

8 large slices cheddar

4 buns, split

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Arrange 8 bacon slices on broiler pan.  Bake until crisp, 12-15 minutes.  Place remaining bacon in food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times.
2. Heat drizzle of EVOO over medium high.  Add butter to melt.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper.  Cook 15 minutes.  Add cider vinegar, syrup and worcestershire and simmer at rapid bubble for 8 to 10 minutes
3. Combine beef, chopped bacon, mustard and pepper.  Form into 4 patties, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper.  Grill burgers and top with 2 slices cheese and lettuce if desired.
4. Serve on buns topped with bacon and onions.
5. Go to the gym