Cedar Planked Burgers

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 3 hr 35 min
  • Prep: 40 min
  • Inactive: 2 hr
  • Cook: 55 min
Bobby says, "This recipe proves that cedar plank cooking is not just for salmon anymore. Cooking burgers over cedar planks creates amazing flavor, infusing every bite with smoky complexity. This is a fun and creative way to serve hamburgers at your next outdoor barbecue."
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Ingredients

Grilled Mushrooms and Onions:

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

2 Walla Walla onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

Canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burgers:

2 untreated cedar planks, each about 5 by 12 inches, soaked in water to cover for at least 2 hours (available at hardware stores)

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80-percent lean)

1 cup Red Wine Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

8 slices good-quality aged white Cheddar 

4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted on the grill

Red Wine Barbecue Sauce:

1 1/4 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol or cayenne powder

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped

2 cups dry red wine, such as pinot noir

Directions

  1. For the grilled mushrooms and onions: Prepare a charcoal grill for direct and indirect heat. Brush the portobello mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and onions with oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat on both sides until slightly charred and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Reserve for the burgers.
  2. For the burgers: Remove the planks from the water and place them over direct heat for about 2 minutes per side. Remove the planks from the grill and brush the top side with oil.
  3. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Brush with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the burgers on the grill over direct heat and cook until nicely charred, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is charred, about 3 minutes. Place 2 burgers on each cedar plank. Put the planks over indirect heat, brush each burger with 1 tablespoon Red Wine Barbeque Sauce and top each with 2 slices of cheese. Cover the grill to melt the cheese and finish cooking, about 5 minutes.
  4. Put the burgers on the bottom buns and top each with more barbeque sauce, some mushroom caps, some grilled onions and the top bun. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Barbecue Sauce:

  1. Combine the ketchup, 1 cup water, ancho chile powder, honey, molasses, sugar, mustard, paprika, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chile de arbol, and chipotle chile in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, bring the wine to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Stir the reduced wine into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. (The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.)

Let's Get Cooking!

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monicasauve

Where to begin? We simply didn't like the taste of this at all. 10 out of 10 had nothing nice to say.- the cedar plank provided a very odd flavor ( very off putting) and the sauce is basically wine and ketchup. Our cooking friends wanted to try this recipe and with all this work for a burger that nobody enjoyed..won't be making this again.<br />

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