Burger Time!

Do any of you remember the game "Burger Time?"

I think I used to play it on Intellivision when I was a kid in the 80's. Basically, you are a chef that has to build hamburgers. However, you are being chased by hot dogs and eggs that are trying to stop you. I highly recommend it. You can easily find a Flash version online.


My wife raves about my burgers. I think she just likes all burgers and I tend to make them for her the most. Anyway, I have been asked by a number of people for my burger recipe and I figured what better way to share it than on my blog. So, here you go.

My recipe is based roughly on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated that I found a few years ago. If you are not familiar with this magazine, then you really should pick one up. They tend to have it at higher end grocery stores, like Whole Foods and Fresh Market. In the magazine, they try a number of different recipes and see which works the best. This burger recipe is from an article where they are trying to reproduce steakhouse burgers at home. The secret, of course, was bacon. They tried using bits in the burger. However, in the end, using just the grease worked best.

The ingredients you need are:

White bread
Milk
Burger seasoning
1 Large egg
5-6 slices of bacon
2 lbs. Lean Ground beef (85-90%)
Cheese
Buns

Dressing and condiments as you choose. I like brown mustard, onion, lettuce, and bacon.

You may wonder why I use lean ground beef, when I already threw any health benefits out the window by adding bacon grease. The answer is that the leaner beef will help minimize flame-ups caused by the grease, while the burgers are on the grill.

1- Remove the crust from a slice of white bread. Then soak the bread in milk. Let sit for five minutes

2- Cook bacon. I use a ridged dish made for making bacon in the microwave. Save the actual bacon to put on the burger later. Pour the grease into a mixing bowl.

3- Add the beef, egg, soaked white bread, and seasoning to the bowl.

I have been using a seasoning my wife found at the William-Sonoma outlet called "Potlatch Seasoning: Salmon & Seafood Spice Rub". I used to use one made for beef, but I ran out. Turns out I like this one better. However, McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning can be found in any grocery store and tastes really good, as well.

4- Using your bare hands, mix it all together.

5- Make burgers to your desired size. Add a little dimple into the middle of the burger with your thumb. This will allow the burger to cook more evenly.

6- I set the Big Green Egg between 450 - 500 degrees. You can get the grill hotter, but I find it harder to control at higher temps. I don't want to char the outside without finishing the inside.

7- I like my burgers medium rare and my wife like her's medium. For medium rare, I cook the burger to an internal temperature of about 130. I add cheese and close the top to let it melt. For medium, I add the cheese at about 140.

To be honest, I have screwed this step up a number of times. However, what is great about these burgers is that they are so moist, you can overcook them a bit and they will still taste great.

That's it. Burger Time!!