The Burger Bar

The Burger Bar


4 pounds ground brisket from local butcher, or just regular ground beef, trick is have it ground fresh at a butcher day of or day before party
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
8 hamburger buns, split

Preheat a large cast-iron skillet to medium hot or BBQ. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot skillet to make a nonstick surface, if on bbq wipe grill with olive oil or any oil so there is no stickage.

Season the ground meat in a bowl with salt and pepper. Give it about 3 turns in the bowl with your hands or a big spoon and it's done. Shape into 8 patties. When the skillet is hot, put the burgers on the bbq or skillet and cook 4 minutes on the first side and 5 for the second side for rare; 7 minutes per side for medium, adding the cheese during the final minute or 2 to melt. Remove the burgers to a plate. Rub the skillet with the folded paper towel again to clean it. Then toast the buns cut side down for about 1 minute, just to mark them. Serve the hamburgers in the buns with the accompaniments below.


Sauteed Mushrooms:
Saute 2 pounds thickly sliced mushrooms in 1/2 cup olive oil with 3-4 sliced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves over super-high heat until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a couple of drops fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Caramelized Onions:
Heat 4 tablespoons unsalted butter with 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 4 onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook slowly until well caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

Tomatoes with Sea Salt and Chives:
Thickly slice 3-4 pounds red and yellow beefsteak tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and 1 bunch chopped fresh chives.

Bacon with Rosemary:
Lay out 1lb pound sliced bacon on a baking sheet or two and dont overlap, strip leaves from 2 sprig rosemary and throw them on top with lots of cracked black pepper and roast at 400 degrees F until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.

Herbed Horseradish Mayonnaise:
Make a day in advance if you want to cut some time day of party
Stir together 2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1/2 cup freshly minced herbs such as parsley, basil, chives or scallion, 4 tablespoons olive oil, a little squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Place all the fixings on a big platter with the mayo mixture in a bowl in the middle of the tray and let everyone build their own burger, tastes best if you use everything on the burger.

Guaranteed one of the best burgers you ever tasted, cut all recipe ingridents in half if you just want 4 burgers