Char Burgers Recipes

STEAKHOUSE BURGERS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high heat.
• In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together with a fork until it forms a chunky paste. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well.
• Add the ground beef and scallions and break the meat up with your hands. Mix everything together until evenly combined. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form compact balls. Flatten the balls into ¾-inch patties about 4½ inches across. Form a slight depression in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from puffing up on the grill.
• Oil the grilling grates. Grill the burgers, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip burgers and continue cooking for a few minutes more until desired doneness is reached. Before serving, toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill if desired.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The uncooked burgers can be frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.) Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.

ARCTIC CHAR BURGERS

Steps:

• Toss the cucumber and onions together in a medium bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the vegetables and toss. Chill until ready to serve.
• Chop half of the arctic char into rough 1/2-inch chunks. Cut the remainder into a 1/4-inch dice. Put the larger pieces in a food processor and add the mustard and pulse to make a chunky paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the rest of the arctic char, the capers, dill, lemon zest and some salt. Form the mixture into four patties, each about 4-inches in diameter.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Put a slice of tomato on the bottoms of each bagel thin and sprinkle with salt. Top each with 1/2 cup of the arugula and a burger. Using a slotted spoon, scoop up some of the pickled cucumbers and onions and mound on top. Cover with bagel tops and serve.

CHAR-BURGERS

Steps:

• If the char is frozen, thaw at room temperature about 30 minutes before chopping. If it's raw, freeze for 30 minutes first. Chop the char into 1/4-inch cubes and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
• Fold in the panko, scallions, bell pepper, horseradish, egg white, fumi furikake, kosher salt, and pepper.
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into 3/4-inch thick patties. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the burgers to the pan and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned and the burger has reached an internal temperature of 135°F, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Move the burgers to a plate and rest for 3 minutes before serving on an onion roll with Kewpie mayonnaise.

ARCTIC CHAR BURGERS

Steps:

• If the char is frozen, thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before chopping. If it's raw, freeze for 30 minutes before chopping. Chop into 1/4-inch cubes and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
• Gently fold in the panko, scallions, bell pepper, horseradish, egg white, furikake, salt and pepper.
• Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape into 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch seasoned cast-iron or other nonstick pan until the oil shimmers. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Move the patties to a plate to rest for about 3 minutes, then serve on onion buns. Toasting the buns and adding a squeeze of the Japanese-style mayonnaise is optional but recommended.

THIN BUT JUICY CHAR-GRILLED BURGERS

Steps:

• Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working with one ball at a time, massage the meat gently in your hands until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball about the size of a golf ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, one ball in the center of each quadrant.
• Form the patties: Lay a second sheet of parchment on top, then place a second rimmed baking sheet on top of the first. Press down very firmly on the baking sheet, pressing directly over each patty in turn, to spread each ball into a thin patty that is wide enough that it will extend at least a full inch around your burger buns on all sides. (If using a vegan beef alternative, form a patty that is just large enough to extend 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch beyond the edges of the buns, as vegan beef alternatives do not shrink as much during cooking.) Refrigerate the patties until ready to cook.
• Heat the grill: If cooking with charcoal (the preferred method, as charcoal gets hotter than gas), ignite a full chimney of coals. When the coals are mostly covered with gray ash, spread them out evenly under one side of the grill and allow the grill to heat with the lid off for 5 minutes. If cooking with gas, set the hottest burners to high heat, cover and let the grill heat for at least 15 minutes.
• Season the burgers: When ready to cook, gently peel the top sheet of parchment off the burgers and season them generously with salt and pepper. Replace the top parchment, flip the parchment sheets with the burgers in between them over entirely, then peel off the other piece of parchment, which will now be on top. Season burgers generously with salt and pepper on the second side.
• These burgers will cook very quickly, so prepare your buns with toppings and condiments as desired. (Placing any vegetables on the bottom bun makes the burger more stable and allows them to absorb juices that may drip from the patties.)
• Cook the patties: Using your hands or a spatula, carefully lay the patties on the grill over the hottest part of the flame. If using charcoal, leave the lid open. If using gas, keep the lid closed as much as possible. Let cook, undisturbed, until the patties are well charred and juices start to pool on their top surfaces, about 1 minute.
• Carefully flip the patties. (There will most likely be flare-ups; this is OK.) Add a slice of cheese, if using, to each, and continue to cook until the meat is just barely cooked through, about 15 seconds.
• Transfer the patties to the buns, add any extra toppings or or condiments as desired, close, and serve immediately.