Gridiron Burger
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 1 serving
- Total: 1 day 20 min (includes pickling time)
- Active: 45 min
Ingredients
Bread-and-Butter Pickles:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salt
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch medallions
1 yellow onion, julienne
Saint Lawrence Fry Sauce:
4 cups mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Bacon Jam:
1 1/2 pounds bacon, diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon
1 large white onion, diced
Gridiron Burger:
8 ounces ground brisket
2 tablespoons butter
1 brioche burger bun
Salt and ground black pepper
2 slices sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon caramelized onions
Directions
- For the bread-and-butter pickles: Combine the granulated sugar, vinegar, salt, celery seeds, ground and whole mustard seeds, turmeric and 2 cups water in a pot and stir. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, place the cucumbers and onions in the container you would like to cool and store in. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and onions and stir. Place in the refrigerator to cool. Serve after 24 hours of brining.
- For the saint lawrence fry sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, ketchup, seasoning salt, cayenne, paprika and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk until completely incorporated, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the bacon jam: Place the bacon in a pot on low heat and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, to render out the fat and brown the bacon, approximately 30 minutes (see Cook’s Note). Add the brown sugar, vinegar, bourbon and onion and bring to a simmer. Simmer to reduce the liquid, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, then cool and store.
- For the gridiron burger: Separate the ground beef into two 4-ounce patties and smash them into thin patties; set aside.
- Heat a large skillet and melt the butter, then place the brioche burger bun in the skillet and toast to a golden brown. Set aside. Sprinkle the burger patties with salt and pepper on one side, then place them in the hot skillet. Press them down with the back of a spatula to get good contact between the patties and the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip the patties add a slice of cheese to each to melt while they finish cooking, another 2 minutes. Meanwhile, add the caramelized onions to the skillet to heat up. Put 2 tablespoons bacon jam on the bun bottom, then spread 1 tablespoon Saint Lawrence fry sauce and 4 bread-and-butter pickles to the bun top. Once your burger patties are done cooking and the cheese has melted, stack the patties on the bun bottom, then finish building the burger and enjoy.
Cook’s Note
For the bacon jam, we really want the bacon to be browned after the fat has been rendered, so if you need to add more time here to get the proper effect, you should.