Its Barbecue Time Again – Burgers

Whenever I host a barbecue, I always prepare burgers for the kids. But at our barbecue, we always get some rather large ‘kids’ who seem to prefer the kids burgers to their own steaks. Burgers for the kids is now a standing joke with us, so I always make twice as many burgers as kids – just for the dads.

Barbecue burgers can become quite mundane if you don’t vary them from time to time. At our barbecue, you rarely see the same burger at each event. I have a large database of barbecue burgers, so here are just four to whet your appetites. You can choose from beefburgers, hamburgers, lamb-burgers and spicy chilli burgers. Enjoy your barbecue!

Lamb and Eggplant Burgers

Eggplant slices replace the buns on these burgers, easily eaten with a knife and fork. Lettuce leaves, tomato slices, raw or grilled onion slices, and mayonnaise flavoured with minced garlic are good condiments.

1 large eggplant (aubergine),3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) in diameter and 6-7 inches (15-18 cm) long
salt for sprinkling, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 lb (1 kg) ground (minced) lamb
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) olive oil

Cover a baking sheet with paper towels. Trim the eggplant and then cut cross-wise into slices about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. You should have 12 good-sized slices in all. Sprinkle both sides of each slice lightly with salt. Spread the slices out on the prepared baking sheet and cover with more paper towels. Let stand for about 1 hour.

Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat them dry with paper towels. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the lamb, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix gently to combine, handling the meat as lightly as possible. Shape the mixture into 6 patties, each about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Arrange the eggplant slices and the lamb patties on the grill rack. Grill, turning both the burgers and the eggplant slices every 2-3 minutes and brushing the eggplant slices with the olive oil each time you turn them. Grill the eggplant until lightly browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Grill
the lamb until done to your liking, about 8 minutes total for rare, 10 minutes for medium, or 12 minutes for well done.

To serve, slip each lamb burger between 2 eggplant slices and place on warmed individual plates. Serve at once.

Hamburgers with Grilled Mushrooms and Jalapeño Ketchup

Few meals are more appealing to the entire family than old fashioned hamburgers topped with mushrooms. IF you don’t have time to make the jalapeno-spiced ketchup, look for one at a specialty foods store.

For the Jalapeño ketchup

2 lb (1 kg) ripe tomatoes
1 yellow onion, minced
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
% teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 jalapeno chillis, seeded and chopped, or to taste
2 lb (1 kg) ground (minced) sirloin, top round, or chuck
1 small yellow onion, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb (500 g) fresh white mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
vegetable oil
6 hamburger buns, split
6 lettuce leaves

The day before serving, prepare the ketchup: In a food processor or blender, working in batches, puree the tomatoes. Pass through a sieve placed over a bowl; discard the contents of the sieve.

Transfer to a saucepan and add the onion, vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and jalapeno chillies. Bring to a boil over medium—high heat, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook, uncovered, until the mixture reduces to a thick ketchup like consistency, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, and pour into ajar. Cover and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavours. Stir well and bring to room temperature before serving.

Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill. In a bowl, combine the meat with the onion, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, and shape each portion into a patty about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Brush the mushrooms with vegetable oil and place on an oiled grill screen.

Place the patties and the grill screen on the grill rack and grill, turning once, until the mushrooms are tender and browned and the burgers are done to your liking, about 10 minutes for medium. About 2 minutes before the burgers are ready place the buns, cut sides down, on the grill rack to toast lightly.

Transfer the buns to individual plates and top each bottom with a lettuce leaf and a burger. Divide the mushrooms evenly among the burgers. Pass the ketchup at the table. Serve hot.

Hamburgers with Grilled Tomatoes

To ensure the juiciest burgers, handle the meat as little as possible when shaping the patties. For cheeseburgers, place a slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese on each patty about 1 minute before removing it from the grill. If you like, serve on toasted sourdough, onion, or Kaiser rolls.

2/3 cup (5 fl oz/ 160 ml) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 lb (1 kg) lean ground (minced) beef
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt, plus salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tirm but ripe tomatoes, cut into slices 1/2—3/4 inch (12 mm—2 cm) thick
3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

ln a large bowl, combine the beef, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Using a fork, stir to combine the ingredients. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions and gently pat and press each portion into a patty about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Place the patties on the grill rack. Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until done to your liking, about 8 minutes total for rare, 10 minutes for medium, or 12 minutes for well done. About 4 minutes before the burgers are done, arrange the tomatoes on the rack, sprinkle them with salt to taste and brush with some of the olive oil. Grill for about 2 minutes, then turn and again brush with olive oil. Grill until the tomatoes are very lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the burgers to a warmed platter and place the tomato slices atop and around them. Pass the horseradish mayonnaise at the table.

Turkey Burgers with Apple-Mint Relish

FOR THE RELISH:

2 apples, preferably Golden Delicious
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 4 teaspoon salt

For THE BURGERS:

2 lb (1 kg) ground (minced) turkey
1 cup (4 oz/125 g) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) chopped shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

To prepare the relish, peel, halve, and core the apples. Chop them finely or, using the large holes of a handheld grater/ shredder, shred them. Transfer to a large bowl and add the vinegar, mint, sugar, oil, celery seeds, mustard seeds, and salt. Stir and toss to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to blend the flavours.

Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill. To prepare the turkey burgers, in a large bowl, combine the turkey, cheese, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using a fork, mix gently to combine. Shape into 6 patties, each about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Place the patties on the grill rack. Grill, turning two or three times, until the burgers are well browned on both sides and no longer pink in the centre, 16-20 minutes. Serve at once on individual plates. Pass the relish at the table.

Bill & Sheila’s Barbecue

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