Firecracker Jalapeno Burgers

Mr. Kim Chee is a big fan of all things hot and spicy. Whenever we go out to eat and I see a burger with peppers, jalapenos, wasabi, or any other kind of spicy thing, there's a pretty big chance he'll order it. I'm not as enamored with heat as he is, but I do love a good burger and am always looking at new ways to dress up ground beef! These jalapeno burgers are spicy enough to suit the iron-tongued person in your life, but are mild enough for the average person to enjoy too.

I used a pound of ground beef; they were pre-formed into patties but I broke them up and mixed the ingredients in with the beef. You could just as easily stuff the patties with the filling.

The heat in these burgers comes from pepperjack cheese and a fresh jalapeno.

I used two slices of presliced cheese. First I cut them into strips.

Then I cubed them, so they were in little pieces.

Next was the jalapeno. I ended up using about half a good-sized jalapeno, and that was perfect; you could most definitely use more, without the jalapeno taking over the overall taste of the burger.

If I'm not using the whole jalapeno, I usually cut the bottom part of the pepper off. I guess I feel like keeping the jalapeno as whole as possible keeps it fresh longer--it also allows me to store the remainder of the pepper with other ingredients, like bell pepper or onion, without worrying that the hotness will rub off on the other veggie. Then I cut the bottom part in half, and scrape out the seeds and membrane, and dice the pepper very finely.

The cheese and jalapenos get thrown in with the ground beef.

For a little more flavor, I added some smoked paprika. Chili powder or Cajun seasoning would be nice additions too, if you have them.

Garlic and onion powders gave some more flavor without adding more wet ingredients (I imagine it would be kind of difficult to keep these in patty form if minced onion and garlic were added.)

And always remember to season your meat with salt and pepper!

To add some moisture (and a little more flavor), I poured in some Worcestershire sauce. I love Worcestershire sauce.

Gently mix the ingredients and form into patties.

Send your significant other out to the grill with these, and start on the real heat--fried jalapenos!

I used jarred jalapenos for these. I saw a recipe that used fresh jalapenos, but I imagine those would be pretty spicy!

The batter for the jalapenos consists of two bowls--a wet bowl and a dry bowl.

The first bowl we'll put together is the dry bowl. It starts with flour.

For texture, I added cornmeal.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garlic powder will add a little accent flavor.

Finally, chili powder will add a smokiness to the batter.

Mix the bowl ingredients together and then get started on your second bowl.

This bowl also starts with flour and cornmeal, although with a slightly different ratio. Buttermilk will turn this bowl into a thick, wet mixture that will stick to your jalapenos. I'll spare you more pictures of white-on-white ingredients and get down to it.

Drain the jalapenos and throw 'em right into the wet mixture.

Then toss them into the dry. Make sure they're well coated.

Caaaarefully drop the breaded jalapeno slices into hot oil (my burner was set a little higher than medium heat.)

Fry until golden brown. Let your fried slices drain on paper towel or newspaper; season with salt if desired.

This batter is great for anything you might want to fry--I picked up some green tomatoes at the market and I sliced them up and tossed them in to fry. If you like fried pickles, whole jalapenos, or any other condiment, I say go for it!





By this time, your burgers should be hot off the grill. I meant to melt a slice of pepperjack cheese over the top, but forgot to send Mr. Kim Chee out with the cheese. If you remember, go for it! Pile everything together and enjoy the tingling sensation that only a jalapeno can give!

Recipe: Firecracker Jalapeno Burgers

Burgers:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 slices pepperjack cheese
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
pepperjack cheese

Jalapeno Slices:
Bowl 1:
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cornmeal
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Bowl 2:
1/4 c. flour
3 tbsp. cornmeal
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. buttermilk

pickled jalapenos (the batter recipe should be enough for at least half a large jar)

oil, for frying


Combine all burger ingredients in a bowl. Mix gently and shape into patties. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked to desired doneness.

Bowl 1: Combine all ingredients. Mix well.

Bowl 2: Combine all ingredients. Mix well.

Heat oil over medium heat (about 375F).

Dip jalapenos into bowl 2; coat well. Move to bowl 1; coat well. Carefully drop breaded jalapenos into hot oil; fry for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or newspaper.

Top burgers with jalapeno slices. Serve!



Just a note: Due to vacation that includes little to no Internet access, Kim Chee Casserole will also be on vacation. The blog will be back up and running on Wednesday, July 6. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Mankato Burger

There's a place in town that makes a fabulous burger--they call it the Maverick burger. It's topped with a chive cream cheese, two slices of bacon, and a tomato. It's my go-to burger and I order it every time I'm there. But sometimes I can't make it down to have one. So I decided to make my own!

The first thing I did was start my cream cheese, so the flavors could have time to come together. While the original burger has crisp slices of bacon on top, I decided to crumble the bacon and mix it in with the cream cheese. That way, every bite was sure to have a bit of bacon in it. I had a package of bacon ends, and I took what I'd guess what would be equal to 3 slices and chopped them roughly.

I cooked them over medium heat to render out the fat and get them crisp.

While the bacon cooked, I got out the cream cheese. I used one of these small 3 oz. blocks. That should make enough for 4 burgers.

I tossed the cream cheese into a bowl and added some sliced chives. I like to use scissors to snip herbs--it makes cleanup incredibly easy, and you don't have to worry about little bits of herbs rolling around your kitchen floor later on.

I cut in some green onions, too. The description on the restaurant's menu says it's a chive cream cheese, but I'm positive there are green onions in it as well. Plus, I just like the crunch.

Once the bacon is crisp, drain the fat (save it for something else if you want) and add the bacon. If your cream cheese wasn't exactly softened, the hot bacon will help.

Don't forget to salt and pepper things for flavor (go light on the salt at first, since the bacon already had salt in it!) and mix together.

Now onto the burgers. If you remember one of the first Kim Chee Casserole recipes, Cheese-Stuffed Bacon Burgers, you'll know that I like to add a little ground bacon to my burger mix. This is especially important when using lean, grass-fed beef, like I am. If you're using 80/20 ground beef from the grocery store, you'd be fine to not add the bacon. But without the bacon, your burgers are at risk for getting dried out and overcooked.

I just gave the bacon a few pulses in the food processor.

I added the bacon to a mixing bowl, along with my ground beef. Then I hit it with a few shakes of Worcestershire.

After the ground beef and bacon became buddies, I shaped them into burger patties. Then they got another hit of Worcestershire.

I let them sit out at room temperature for a few minutes, to take the refrigerator chill off them. Your patties will shrink less if they're allowed to come to room temperature before cooking.

The time also lets the meat absorb the Worcestershire. I seasoned the patties with salt and pepper, and they were ready to grill!

While the burgers were cooking, I started assembling everything. First, I gave the buns a toast. This helps them stand apart from the cream cheese mixture. I used the pan I rendered the bacon in to toast the buns, with just a little butter.

Once the buns were toasted, they got a nice schmear of the cream cheese mixture.

Then a nice topping of tomato.
















Add the burger patty and the top of the bun and you've got yourself a Mankato burger!

 

Recipe: Mankato Burger

Cream Cheese:

3 slices bacon, roughly chopped

1 4 oz. package softened cream cheese

1 tsp. minced chives

2 sliced green onions, white and light green parts

Burgers:

1 lb. ground beef

2 slices bacon, very finely chopped

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper, to taste

4 burger buns

butter, for toasting

1 tomato, sliced

Cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Drain bacon.

In a small bowl, combine bacon, cream cheese, chives, and green onions. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine chopped bacon, ground beef, and Worcestershire. Shape into 4 patties. Salt and pepper both sides, and drizzle with additional Worcestershire, if desired. Allow to come to room temperature. Grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes a side.

Using the bacon pan, lightly toast buns, using a little butter if necessary. Smear each bun with cream cheese mixture, add patty, and top with tomato.

Packers Playoff Burger

If you know me in real life, you'll know I'm a huge Green Bay Packers fan. This Sunday they play their first game in the playoffs. I created this burger to celebrate--although you definitely don't have to be a cheesehead to love this artery-clogger. Who couldn't love a hamburger patty topped with a brat patty, red onions, sauerkraut, and a big ol' cheese curd?

To start the burgers, I take a pound of ground beef and shape them into patties. I made them really big--1/3 pounders. Hey, the Packers don't make the playoffs every year!

Give them a good salt-and-peppering on both sides.

These burgers also have a second patty, made from fresh bratwurst meat. My grocery store sells these at the meat counter.

Use a knife to split the brat skins, and then pull all the meat out.

Shape the brat meat into patties roughly the same size as the burgers.

Now, Mr. Kim Chee helped me with these because I was busy frying curds and I didn't get any pictures of the patties being cooked.

He cooked them on the stove in a big frying pan, with a little oil, until the brat patties were cooked all the way through and my burgers were medium to medium rare.

 My special celebration burger is topped with fried cheese curds.

While you prepare your batter, pop your curds in the freezer. You want them to be cold when you fry them or they'll melt and stick to the bottom of your pot.

Get your oil started too, over medium-high heat. You want your curds to be screaming cold and your oil to be screaming hot.

The batter is made with flour, baking powder, and salt. If you like a little spice, a pinch of cayenne right now would be nice.

Whisk the dry ingredients together and then crack in an egg.

Now whisk in about 2/3 of a bottle of light beer or hard cider. You'll want the batter to be on the thicker side so add a little liquid at a time rather than all at once.

Pull your curds out of the freezer and throw them into the batter.

Use your hand to give the curds a good dunking.

Hopefully by this time your oil should be hot. If you're not sure, give it a test--gently drip a bit of the curd batter into the oil. It should float to the top right away. If your curds fry too long, the cheese will melt out of the batter.

If your oil is ready, carefully drop the curds in!

Yummm.

How could this be bad? (Okay, don't answer that.)

Once your curds are fried, you can assemble your burgers. Toast yourself a big bun and get ready to layer deliciousness!

The bottom layer gets piled with sauerkraut. I sauteed it in the same frying pan as the burgers and brats, just to heat it up a little bit.

Set a burger on top of the kraut.

Pile sliced red onions on top of that.

Then comes the brat patty.

And then cheese curds.

When all the curds are stuck together, it's just one curd, right?













And finally, the top bun completes the piece de resistance! Celebrate your favorite team's victory with this oh-so-bad-for-you burger.

Recipe: Packers Playoff Burger

1 lb. ground beef
2 uncooked fresh brats
salt and pepper, to taste

hamburger buns, lightly toasted

store-bought saurkraut

oil, for frying

1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
8 oz. (about 2/3 of a bottle) of beer or hard cider

12 oz. cheese curds, very cold

Thinly sliced red onion


Pat the ground beef into three thin patties. Salt and pepper both sides.

Split the brats in half and remove the meat. Pat the ground brat meat into patties roughly the same size as the beef patties. Cook both the beef and brat patties in a large, lightly oiled pan over medium heat until brat patties are cooked completely through and burgers are medium-rare to medium (2-4 minutes per side.)

Using the same pan, toast hamburger buns.

Using the same pan, gently saute sauerkraut until heated through.

In a large pot, heat oil for frying until very hot.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, egg, and beer or cider together. Add cheese curds and coat thoroughly.

When oil is hot, carefully drop in curds a few at a time. Fry until coating is golden brown; remove and drain on newspaper or paper towels.

To assemble burgers, spoon sauerkraut on the bottom bun. Then layer hamburger patty, thinly sliced red onions, brat patty, cheese curds, and top bun. Enjoy!