burgers Archives - The Midnight Baker

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:00:30 +0000

Burgers with a surprise inside–jalapeño popper stuffed burgers explode with flavor.

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers–YUM

Do you love jalapeño popper dip and burgers? Then this recipe is a perfect combination for you.

Stuffed burgers are nothing new; I’ve been making them for quite some time. Mostly I do a stuffed bleu cheese burger with a reduced wine and mushroom sauce. However, I just love jalapeños and I love the dip so figured why not.

If you’d like something more zippy and robust, then the jalapeños may be replaced with a hotter pepper. And if you like no heat at all, then a bell pepper would be perfectly fine as well.

Stuffing Burgers

Everyone has their own way of doing this, so whatever works for you that’s the method to use.

What I do is make two smaller burgers, place the stuffing on one burger and top with another and seal around the edges. Now, if you want an 8-ounce burger, then you’d make 2 very flat 4-ounce burgers. You can get a better idea of how I do this in the photo below.

There are, of course, gadgets made specifically for stuffed burgers and if you have one, fine. But don’t go out and buy one especially for this since I don’t feel it’s worth it.

Just an FYI, but a little filling will always leak out no matter how well you seal the burgers.

Cooking Them

My favorite method is grilling be it on my gas grill or my trust grill pan on the stovetop.

Broiling works well too as long as you use a proper broiling pan so the fat drips down so it doesn’t cause any flare-ups. A skillet is my last choice since burgers always seem to just boil in the rendered fat.

You can do these in the air fryer too. In my 1800W basket-type model, they’re done in 5 minutes on each side at 400F/200C.

Another thing is the doneness. Unfortunately for lovers of super-rare burgers, that just won’t work here. They have to be at least done to medium so the cheeses melt.

The Recipe

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers

Burgers with a delicious surprise inside

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hamburgers in the air fryer, hamburgers with stuffing, jalapeño popper dip, jalapeño stuffed burgers

Servings: 4

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbs minced onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tbs cream cheese softened
2 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs salsa
1 fresh jalapeno pepper diced
1 tbs olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium or oven broil to high
In a bowl combine cream cheese, cheddar, salsa, garlic powder, and jalapeno.
Combine meat, salt, pepper, and onion.
Divide meat into 8 even pieces and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness.
Divide cream cheese mixture into 4 equal portions and flatten each into a pancake shape.
Place each cream cheese mixture on top of 4 flattened meat portions. Top each with another flattened portion and seal the edges (see photo in post_.
Brush burger with olive oil.
To Grill:
Grill burgers over medium heat 6-7 minutes on each side
To Broil:
Place burgers on a foil-covered pan approximately 6" from broiler. Broil 5-6 minutes on each side
For Air Fryer: Air fry 5 minutes each side at 400F/200C. Bear in mind that your model (see post body) may need adjustment.

Nutrition

The post Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Gourmet Salmon Patties

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 23:00:01 +0000

Taste the difference fresh herbs make in these gourmet salmon patties.

Salmon Patties–Retro Classic

Anything salmon is all the rage now. From grilled to marinated to baked.

Since salmon itself is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, so have good old-fashioned salmon patties. I remember them being popular for a Friday-night dinner way back during the 50s and 60s. The reason being that salmon–and most fish–were pretty cheap back then so they were an economical meal. And canned pink salmon, which is the most widely used variety–was even more budget friendly. Fresh salmon works too. Merely poach it and flake it.

Like meatloaf and pot roast, the recipes are almost infinite. Ask 10 people their recipe and you’ll get 10 different ones. This one is my favorite.

Dress Them Up

These patties can be dressed up in so many ways. They can be catered to individual taste by just changing up some seasonings.

I did this with the addition of some fresh herbs. One thing that pairs so well with salmon is dill. I decided to grow some this year because I was making a lot of half sour pickles. Therefore, I had quite a bit growing and anyone who ever grows dill knows how prolific it is.

Chives were also included because I had a bumper crop of those. Of course you can substitute plain old onion for those, but I chose chives because I had a lot of them but also was looking for something that was easier to manage right after my dental surgery. I didn’t have to “chew” the chives.

Frying Works Best

OK, I know air fryers (affiliate link) are all the rage now–and I absolutely love mine–but I really don’t think it’s the best way to cook salmon patties. I feel the same way about a conventional oven too. Reason is (for me) is that baking or air frying would make them dry. Also since they are rather soft and fragile, flipping them in the air fryer may be a disaster. How you actually cook them is up to you. I prefer frying them in a little oil because it seals them and crisps them.

The Recipe

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Gourmet Salmon Patties

Fresh herbs make a difference!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: budget meals with canned salmon, retro salmon recipes, salmon patties

Servings: 4

Calories: 347kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

14 oz can pink salmon or same amount of freshly cooked salmon
2 tbs chives finely chopped
1 tbs fresh dill chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbs oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Flake the salmon and remove any bones (if using the canned variety).
Mix the salmon and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and form patties.
Heat oil in a large skillet (preferably non-stick) over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for about 4 minutes each side or until nicely browned.
Serve with garlic mayonnaise and/or additional lemon wedges

Nutrition

The post Gourmet Salmon Patties appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Chicken Burgers

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 23:00:19 +0000

Whether you serve them on a bun or not, these chicken burgers are totally delicious.

Chicken Burgers: Juicy And Delicious

It’s been a fashion lately to substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef. Since poultry has less fat than chicken, often it’s substituted for health reasons.

However, ground chicken is quite delicious in its own right. It makes wonderful meatloaf and these wonderful burgers. These burgers are every bit as moist and juicy as their ground beef cousins even when they’re cooked “well done.” Since none of us eat rare chicken–which is definitely unappetizing–that was my test for these chicken burgers. And they passed the test with flying colors.

Make Them Different Each Time

As with most recipes, if you change up the herbs and spices, you make a new dish.

It’s pretty much the same with these chicken burgers. I flavored them Italian style, however, using poultry seasoning in it’s place makes them entirely different.

Since I based these off a delicious Asian meatloaf I recently made, converting that meatloaf recipe into burgers would be seamless. And the diced water chestnuts from that recipe would work wonderfully here as well.

Of course simply substituting ground turkey makes them entirely different too.

Bun Or None

These are great served on a bun. I chose nice crusty Kaiser rolls for mine. Regular old white bread hamburger buns work nicely too.

If you can get brioche buns, they’d be spectacular as would a nice artisan roll or sourdough roll.

To make it a complete meal in a bun, add some lettuce and tomatoes to each burger.

Of course if you are watching your carbs, you can eliminate the bun entirely and just serve this with a big salad. Carb-free keto breadcrumbs can be substituted for the panko crumbs too.

The Recipe

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Chicken Burgers

Juicy and delicious

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: burgers made with poultry, chicken burgers, keto chicken burgers

Servings: 4

Calories: 308kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb ground white meat chicken
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
3 tbs milk or cream
1 egg
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbs fresh parsley chopped
3 tbs Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbs olive oil
lettuce & tomato optional if serving on a roll

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and add the milk; toss to coat and let this stand for 5 minutes.
Mix in the ground chicken, egg, herbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape into burgers.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large, preferably non-stick skillet. Place burgers in hot skillet and cook each side about 5 minutes, turning when nicely browned. Burgers should be 170F/85C in the center using an instant-read thermometer.

Notes

Nutritional values do not include bun nor tomato and lettuce

Nutrition

The post Chicken Burgers appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Grown Up (Gourmet) Burgers

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 23:00:40 +0000

Plain old hamburgers go to the next level with these grown up gourmet burgers.

Gourmet Burgers Appeal To Adult Tastes

These are definitely hamburgers that you can serve at a dinner party!

They are more than a lump of formed ground beef. Plain burgers are great; don’t get me wrong. However, every now and then I like to get outside the box and taste something really special. These gourmet burgers fill that bill which is why I attached “grown up” to their name.

These will appeal to adult palates and older kids. I’m not saying that young kids won’t like them too. Heck you never know, but I’d err on the safe side and not serve this to kiddos under 10.

Outdoors Or Indoors

The beauty of these burgers is they are a year round treat because they’re great any way you cook them.

Your outdoor grill is perfect for this and will add another dimension of flavor.

Equally, they are good made on the stovetop as well. I used a grill pan. Just as an aside, that was the maiden voyage of my higher-end cast iron grill pan. I’ve had one for years and it gathered dust because I thought it stunk at cooking. However, it was not cast iron, It was a flimsy aluminum one coated with that ceramic stuff. So I highly recommend getting a top-of-the-line grill pan if you do a lot of indoor stovetop grilling. I’ve linked to it in this paragraph and it’s also in my Amazon Store link in the sidebar.

And yep, you can use your good ole skillet for them as well. The beauty is that anything works.

Novel Idea

If you use the outdoor grill or the stovetop grill pan, brush a little oil on the burger, not the grill! This really prevents them from sticking to the grids. It’s especially important for the stovetop grill pan. It probably won’t matter if you use a plain skillet.

Now, another novel idea is to serve these on a fancy schmantzy bun. I used brioche buns and they were spectacular. The brioche buns also made it more gourmet.

The Recipe

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Grownup Burgers

Burgers so high end you can serve them to company

Prep Time10

Cook Time14

Course: beef, Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: burger recipe, fancy burgers, gourmet burger recipe, ground beef recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 531kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tbs chopped fresh marjoram fresh oregano may be substituted
3 tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbs sun-dried tomato paste
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs oil
4 brioche hamburger buns

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all ingredients, except the oil and buns, in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into burgers.
Meanwhile, heat a stovetop grill pan (or skillet over high heat) until it’s very hot.
Brush tops of the burgers with some of the oil. Place the oiled side down on the grill pan and cook for 3-5 minutes. Before turning, brush the unoiled tops with the rest of the oil; turn and cook an additional 3-5 minutes This will produce a rare to medium-rare burger. Cook a bit longer for medium or well but lower the heat.
Remove the burgers to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Keep the grill pan over the heat for the buns.
Split the brioche buns and place the cut sides down on the grill to toast.
Serve burgers on the toasted rolls. You may like to layer some lettuce and tomato on the bun under the burger, as shown in the photos.

Notes

*Post contains affiliate link(s)

Video

Nutrition

The post Grown Up (Gourmet) Burgers appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Crunchy Asian Burgers

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 23:00:38 +0000

Juicy burgers with an Asian flair and a bit of crunch from water chestnuts!

Nothing beats a great burger done on the grill! And now that it’s grilling season, I’m making it my business to try many more of these dressed-up burgers!

This recipe isn’t new. I’ve made it quite a few times over the years and it comes originally from a Chinese cookbook that was published in the early 1960s. The book was my mother’s and when she passed away, I inherited all her cookbook collection. This was really a great cookbook too and it was written by an Asian man who funny enough was a professor of Asian culture. I misplaced the book and can’t remember the title or the gentleman’s name. Can’t find it in my bookcases so I have to search further for it.

Anyway, this burger is seasoned with soy sauce–naturally LOL. It also has minced garlic mixed in but the unusual ingredient here is water chestnuts. That’s what adds the earthiness and more importantly, the crunch.

I do quite a bit of Asian-style cooking so a can of water chestnuts is always in my pantry. They come whole or sliced. I prefer the sliced because I rarely have any dishes that would use the whole. However, you can always slice the whole ones, so that may be the best choice to keep on your shelf.

The original recipe called for dusting the shaped meat with cornstarch. This is a step I eliminated ages ago because it seemed to serve no real purpose except for making your hands gloppy from trying to coat the patties.

I always serve my burgers on kaiser rolls, and if you can get sourdough kaisers, they are the bomb with this burger (and any other). Top it all off with julienne green onions and you’ve got one terrific and tasty burger!

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Crunchy Asian Burgers

Juicy burgers with an Asian flair and a bit of crunch from water chestnuts!

Prep Time5

Cook Time16

Total Time21

Course: beef, GRILLING

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: burger recipe

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 591kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb 80-85% ground beef see NOTES
8 oz can water chestnuts, diced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
4-6 kaiser rolls sourdough is best if you can get

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes so the flavors blend.
Shape into 4-6 patties of desired thickness.
Grill until burger reaches desired doneness--a insta-read therrnometer works well here. As an example, I like my burgers medium and make them about 1-inch thick, so I grill about 8 mins each side.

Notes

Burgers shouldn't be made with extremely lean ground beef, i.e. 90%+. It will be dry because the fat is responsible for the juiciness. The leanest you can go is 85% but experts recommend 80% ground beef for burgers.

Nutrition

The post Crunchy Asian Burgers appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Mama Marie’s Mini Meatloaves

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Mama Marie’s Mini Meatloaves

My late mother-in-law’s famous “hamburgers.” These are a family favorite!

My mother-in-law always called these “hamburgers,” but to me they were like mini meatloaves made on the stovetop.

I decided to honor her by calling them by her name–and it’s alliterative too!!!

Actually, my friend Lori told me these are an old-time German dish and she keeps telling me what they’re called, but I can never seem to remember!!

I serve these with good ole mashed potatoes and if I have fresh chives, I snip some of them into the potatoes.

If you want to make a brown gravy, go right ahead! Mom didn’t and that’s the way I keep it, but gravy would be nice on them.

These were traditionally made in an old cast iron skillet that belonged to my m-i-l’s MOTHER that came over from Germany with her at the turn of the last century. I had that pan still but somehow it got misplaced when I rented this house after my husband died. Probably the tenants put it in the attic or cellar, but I’ve yet to find it. It was a great pan and a family heirloom!!! And the best non-stick you can get!

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Mama Marie's Mini Meatloaves

Mama Marie’s Mini Meatloaves My late mother-in-law’s famous “hamburgers.” These are a family favorite!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, meatloaf recipe, mini meatloaves

Servings: 4 -5

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbs finely chopped onion
1 pkg G. Washington's Brown Seasoning*
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs divided**
2-3 tbsp milk

Instructions

Reserve 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs for coating.
In a large bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with the rest of the ingredients.
Shape into 4-5 patties. Dredge each patty with breadcrumbs on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and heat until oil shimmers.
Brown patties on both sides over medium heat. Reduce heat, add the 1 tbs of water, cover tightly and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees F.

Notes

*1-2 tsp granulated beef bouillon may be substituted if Washington's seasoning is not available in your area.

**1/2 cup of rolled oats may be substituted for the mixed-in breadcrumbs. However, you still need 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs for dredging.

Nutrition

Mama Marie’s Mini Meatloaves

The post Mama Marie’s Mini Meatloaves appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 07 Sep 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

Humble ground beef raised to 5-star restaurant standards!

Want to turn an ordinary burger into a gourmet meal? Then this is your burger. Simple to make, even easier to eat!

My secret ingredient in this (or any burger) is the addition of just a tad of….brown gravy mix. Yep, that’s it! It adds a wonderful flavor. I buy this in bulk–large Tone’s or McCormick’s in the wholesale club. However, Aldi’s brand is VERY good…I think better than the name brand…and I’ve seen it sold for between 25 and 39 cents per packet. Pick up a few if you shop there and empty them all into a small jelly jar so you always have it handy.

Ground beef raised to gourmet status

It’s also important, if you want a juicy burger, to use 80% ground beef. Ultra lean ground beef has it’s uses, but burgers are NOT one of them. You absolutely need fat for a burger to be juicy. Ultra lean results in a dry and sandy-textured burger. Don’t use 73% as that is TOO fatty. The 80% is the best choice.

The sauce again, is very simple. Merlot is the wine to use, but most any red will do you in a pinch. This sauce is also GREAT served on steak.

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box

Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

Humble ground beef raised to 5-star restaurant standards!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon, blue cheese burgers, ground beef recipes, hamburgers, merlot sauce

Servings: 6

Calories: 515kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs 80% ground beef
1 tsp brown gravy mix
2 tbs finely chopped onion OR 1 tbsp dehydrated onion
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
4 slices crisp cooked bacon finely diced

For Merlot Sauce

1 cup sliced mushrooms thick slices
1 medium onion sliced in 1/8-inch slices
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Merlot red wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare merlot sauce by melting the 2 tbs of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion. Saute
stirring occasionally until onion begins to get golden brown and mushrooms begin to brown.
Add merlot, bring to boil and reduce the sauce to 50%. Add enough cream (heavy, light or half and half) until desired consistency is reached. The 1/2 cup is only a guide!! Ideally, sauce should "coat a spoon" and not be too runny. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be kept warm while cooking burgers.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, gravy mix, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 4-oz portions. Form each portion into a patty about 1/2-inch thick.
Place 2 tbsp of blue cheese and 1/4 of the diced bacon in the center of 4 of the patties. Top with the plain patties and seal well around the edges.
Heat a BBQ grill or broiler to high heat. Grill patties to desired doneness. For medium-well (160 degrees F) this should take approximately 5 minutes per side.

Nutrition

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Merlot Sauce

The post Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce appeared first on The Midnight Baker.