Give my regards to summer. Remember me to warmer air. Tell all the fans that love their pumpkin spice that I shall soon be there.
But not yet.
Forgive me, George Cohan. As I write this, Labor Day is right around the corner, and so I am feeling a bit nostalgic about summer. It seems like only yesterday it was mid-June, and the summer stretched before me like a blanket on a sandy beach.
Now, the stores are filled with back-to-school notebooks and pens, while I am frantically trying to put together a history lesson that makes Jackson’s war on the Bank of the United States sound interesting (Note to self: It can’t be done).
And so, in the words of Nancy Reagan, I am going to “Just say No!” to fall. At least for now, that is. I will keep wearing my shorts — in spite of my blindingly white legs — and sleeping with the electric fan on at night no matter what the calendar says.
Moreover, I will keep cooking like it’s summer. No hearty soups or thick casseroles for me, just yet. Nosiree.
I am a Knock, and the Knocks keep grilling well past the time when others have given up their barbecue tongs and their “I want Jessie’s Grill” aprons. Don’t believe me? We have a photo of my father grilling Christmas dinner in his parka and stocking cap from sometime back in the 1980s. Now, that’s dedication to outdoor cooking.
But late summer (and autumn) grilling is not just for free thinkers such as myself. Football season is right around the corner, and Hawkeye football means tailgating and grilling. It’s only right that I provide you with a few recipes to help you get started.
But what to grill? I decided to go with burgers this week because, No.1, they are easy; and No. 2, just about everyone loves them. That’s especially true when you throw in a turkey burger and a black bean burger for those who don’t like red meat.
So clean up those flip flops. Get that ironic apron out of the hamper and hit the grill. After all, the Christmas grilling season is right around the corner. You’ve got to be ready.
Chicago Beer-Braised Burgers
The recipe comes from Bill and Cheryl Alters Jamison’s “Born to Grill: An American Celebration.” The Jamisons regularly offer some of the most original flavors and ideas for good grilling.
Before you begin, however, consider this. First, the Jamisons recommend making the ketchup at least a day ahead. I suppose this allows the flavors to “marry” completely in the refrigerator. I say, “suppose” because when I tried the recipe, I only gave the ketchup ingredients a couple of hours to get to know one another. It still tasted great. Thus, while allowing the ketchup to sit overnight is ideal, it is certainly not required.
Ingredients
For the Ketchup:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ¼ pound button mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced (optional — I didn’t use them when I made these burgers)
- 6 tablespoons warm beer
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Beer-Braised Onions:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup beer
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Burgers:
- 1½ pound ground chuck
- 2 tablespoons beer
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce or other hot pepper sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 burger buns
- 4 ½-ounce slices cheddar cheese (extra sharp works beautifully)
To prepare the ketchup:
Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms (if using) and sauté until just tender (about 3-4 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the beer, ketchup, vinegar, sugar and salt. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until relatively smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Set the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and allow ketchup to simmer for about 12 minutes (stirring occasionally). Remove from heat and cool. The ketchup can be made several days ahead and refrigerated.
To prepare the onions:
Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are very tender (about 5-6 minutes). Add ¾ of the cup of beer, the sugar and the salt. Cook until all of the beer has been absorbed by the onions and they begin to brown lightly (15 minutes). Add the remaining ¼ cup of beer and bring to a simmer. Keep the onions warm while the burgers are cooking.
To prepare the burgers:
Preheat the grill to high.
In a large bowl, carefully mix together the ground chuck, beer, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper. Gently form the mixture into four patties about ½- to ¾-inch thick.
Grill the burgers uncovered over high heat for 1 minute per side. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side. An instant read thermometer should read 150 degrees.
Serve the burgers on toasted hamburger buns. Top with some of the beer-braised onions and some cheese. Complete the flavor with a healthy dollop of your specially prepared ketchup.
Turkey Burgers with Chili-Lime Mayo
Turkey burgers are a great alternative for those who aren’t vegetarians, but do want to cut down on their red meat consumption. They are also just great as a change of pace.
Typically, most turkey burgers call for more ingredients than your typical beef burger. Turkey is a terrific vehicle for flavor, and so things like paprika and cumin are featured in the recipe below.
There are a couple of cautions before making these burgers, however. First, the meat mixture is very soupy after you mix it up. You will have to wet your hands in order to form the meat into patties. Also, you need to chill the patties once they are formed. This makes them a little easier to work with. Finally, you have to grease the heck out of your grill as the turkey sticks like mad to the grate. If you are worried about the last point, you can make these burgers in a non-stick pan on your stove top.
Ingredients
For the Turkey Burgers:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Chili-Lime Mayo:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
To prepare the burgers:
Mix all of the burger ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into 4-6 patties (depending on how big you want your burger). Place on a baking sheet or platter and refrigerate for an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the mayo:
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside until you are ready to eat.
Now it’s time to grill the burgers. Heat the grill to medium-high. Grease the grates of the grill well with an oiled paper towel (the burgers will probably stick no matter what, but do what you can). Grill the burgers for 4-6 minutes per side (it depends on the size of your burgers). Flip and grill for another 4-6 minutes.
Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve atop buns and with the chili-lime mayo.
Black Bean Burgers
OK, so these burgers are not grilled. I included them anyway because I wanted to have a vegetarian alternative to the other recipes in this column. My guess is that you could try grilling them outside, but I fear that the mixture might be a bit too loose.
Now that that is out of the way let me say a few words about black bean burgers. I think that the mistake made by many similar recipes is that they try to mimic the texture and taste of beef. A good black bean burger, however, doesn’t have to pretend to be anything other than what it is. The bean is a terrific vehicle for spice and for flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 (2-oz.) hamburger bun, torn into pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 large white egg, lightly beaten
Place the bun in a food processor, and process until crumbs measure 1 cup. Transfer to a bowl.
Combine 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic and beans in food processor. Pulse 8 times or until beans make a thick paste. For into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Stir in the zest and remaining ingredients. With moistened hands — the mixture is messy — divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions (roughly ⅓ cup mixture per portion). Shape each into a 3-inch patty.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to the pan; reduce heat to medium and cook 4 minutes or until the bottom edges are brown. Carefully turn the patties over; cook 3 minutes or until bottom edges are done.
You can top this burger with your favorite sauce or cheese and serve it on a hamburger bun.
