Johns Best Burgers Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S JUICY LUCY

Steps:

• Divide beef into two 3-ounce balls. Lightly moisten fingertips with water and press beef into patties about 1/4-inch thick. Drop Worcestershire sauce over patties; rub in lightly. Sprinkle garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne on top and rub in.
• Cut a circle of cheese using a pastry cutter or the rim of a glass. Place cheese onto 1 patty; cover with the other patty. Press edges together carefully. Flip and continue pressing until fully sealed. Season both sides with a little salt.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patty for 5 minutes per side for medium doneness. Place patty on one half of a bun. Top with tomato, lettuce, and the other half of the bun.

CHEF JOHN'S GRILLED BACON MEATLOAF BURGERS

Steps:

• Whisk egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs and chopped cooked bacon. Crumble in the ground beef. Mix with your fingers until bacon and breadcrumbs are distributed evenly.
• Form mixture into 4 burgers with your wet hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled thoroughly, about 3 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place burgers on the grate and cook, turing occasionally, until firm and cooked to your desired doneness. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read between 145 and 150 degrees F (63 degrees C). Let burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.

BEST HAMBURGER EVER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill for high heat.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, cheese, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, egg, onion soup mix, garlic, garlic powder, parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 patties.
• Grill patties for 5 minutes per side on the hot grill, or until well done. Serve on buns with your favorite condiments.

CHEF JOHN'S BEEF SLIDERS

Steps:

• Place ground beef onto a work surface; divide into 8 equal-size pieces using a knife or pastry cutter. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Sprinkle bottoms of paper liners with salt and black pepper. Form each piece of burger into a rough ball and place into a muffin cup. Season tops with salt and pepper.
• Place a second paper liner on top of each piece of meat and gently press it down to shape the mini burger into a round, flat shape. Pull off the paper tops and remove burgers from the muffin cups; remove bottom paper liners from burgers.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook burgers in the hot skillet until they have a browned crust and are slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Flip burgers and cook 3 minutes on other side. Remove burgers to a plate to rest for 2 minutes.
• Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and pickle relish in a bowl; spoon a dollop onto each bun. Place burgers onto buns, season with more black pepper, and top with a tomato slice. Close buns and serve.

HOMEMADE HAMBURGER BUNS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
• Place yeast into bowl of a large stand mixer; whisk in 1/2 cup flour and warm water until smooth. Let stand until mixture is foamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Whisk 1 egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt thoroughly into yeast mixture. Add remaining flour (about 3 cups).
• Fit a dough hook onto stand mixer and knead the dough on low speed until soft and sticky, 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape sides if needed. Poke and prod the dough with a silicone spatula; if large amounts of dough stick to the spatula, add a little more flour.
• Transfer dough onto a floured work surface; dough will be sticky and elastic but not stick to your fingers. Form the dough lightly into a smooth, round shape, gently tucking loose ends underneath.
• Wipe out stand mixer bowl, drizzle olive oil into the bowl, and turn dough over in the bowl several times to coat surface thinly with oil. Cover bowl with aluminum foil. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface and pat to flatten bubbles and form into a slightly rounded rectangle of dough about 5x10 inches and about 1/2 inch thick. Dust dough lightly with flour if needed. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a round shape, gently tucking ends underneath as before.
• Use your hands to gently pat and stretch the dough rounds into flat disc shapes about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange buns about 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Dust buns very lightly with flour. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the baking sheet (do not seal tightly). Let buns rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat 1 egg with milk in a small bowl, using a fork, until mixture is thoroughly combined. Very gently and lightly brush tops of buns with egg wash without deflating the risen dough. Sprinkle each bun with sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Buns will stick together slightly where they touch. Let cool completely, tear the buns apart, and slice in half crosswise to serve.

JOHN'S BEST BURGERS

Steps:

• Assemble ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix using a fork, until this is very well combined.
• Form into patties approximately 3.5" diameter, 3/4" thick, squaring the edges so that they are not overcooked.
• Set the patties in the fridge for one hour.
• Heat BBQ to high , then reduce heat on one side to minimum, the other to half capacity.
• Dump soaked mesquite chips on hot side of grill, allow them to come to a flame.
• Place burgers on the grill allowing a sear mark to develop, then rotate 90 degrees for a "thatched" appearance.
• Close grill hood, and allow burgers to slow cook --
• Flip the burgers and close the hood again.
• Use a meat thermomemter to prove "doneness" as rge smoke and the sugars in the ingredients will give colouring that will confuse you otherwise-aim for about 175 degrees --
• Served with sliced refridgerator dill pickles, garden fresh tomato slices, sliced white onion, on a toasted sourdough bun.