Hamburger by Au Cheval

★★★★☆
Prep: 15 mins Cook: 75 mins Serves: 3 Source: Derek Wolf / Over The Fire Cooking

Ingredients

  • Beef
  • 1 1/2 pounds 85/15 ground beef (680 g)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt (22.2 ml)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp black pepper (22.2 ml)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder (22.2 ml)
  • Beef tallow, as needed
  • Mayonnaise
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed) (59.1 ml)
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (14.8 ml)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice (4.9 ml)
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar (4.9 ml)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Burger Assembly
  • Sliced American cheese
  • Thick-cut black pepper bacon
  • Finely diced red onion
  • Finely chopped fresh chives
  • Finely chopped dill pickles
  • 3 fresh eggs
  • Burger buns

Instructions

  1. Make the mayonnaise: In a bowl, combine all mayonnaise ingredients. Blend with an immersion blender until thickened. Add a splash of water if too thick. Refrigerate.
  2. Prepare the grill: Heat a grill to high heat (about 450°F) for direct cooking.
  3. Form the patties: Gently form ground beef into 6-8 balls (about 1/4 pound each).
  4. Cook the burgers: Heat a cast iron skillet or plancha on the grill until very hot (about 450°F). Place a beef ball on the skillet and immediately smash flat with a spatula. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook 1-1.5 minutes per side. Top with American cheese in the last 30 seconds.
  5. Cook the bacon: Add bacon slices to the hot skillet and cook until crisp. Remove and keep warm.
  6. Fry the eggs: Add a little beef tallow to the skillet, if needed. Heat until shimmering. Crack eggs into the skillet and fry sunny-side up.
  7. Assemble the burgers: Toast burger buns until lightly browned. Spread mayonnaise on both halves of each bun. On the bottom bun, stack two smashed patties with cheese, bacon, pickles, diced onion, a fried egg, and chopped chives. Close with the top bun.
Wine Pairing: Bold Red (Zinfandel, Malbec) — A rich, smoky burger needs a bold red with good tannins.