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How to build a better, tastier and juicier burger

Chef Jeffrey Starr gets barbecues sizzling with the best grilling recipes

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Build a better, juicier burger
June 25: Chef Jeffrey Starr shows TODAY's Al Roker sizzling recipes that add spice to your everyday hamburger.

Today Show Kitchen

TODAY
updated 12:08 p.m. ET June 24, 2007

Looking to spice up your summer barbecues? Chef Jeffrey Starr kicks off the season with Sutter Home's Build a Better Burger competition, which celebrates the best, most original recipes for the juiciest and tastiest burgers. Get ready to fire up the grill with these easy-to-follow and delicious dishes, complete with their perfect wine pairings:

Grilled California Avocado B-L-T Burgers with Caramelized Chipotle Onions
Clint Stephenson, Friendswood, Texas

6 burgers

INGREDIENTS

Caramelized Chipotle Onions

1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 tablespoon beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Point Reyes Blue Cheese Spread

6 1/2 ounces light garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese
4 ounces Point Reyes blue cheese or other favorite
blue cheese, crumbled

Burgers

1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground sirloin
1/3 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel
3 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, thyme, and basil
(any combination)
1 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons spicy seasoned salt
Oil for brushing grill rack
12 California avocado slices (prepare at the last minute, brushing with balsamic vinegar and sprinkling with
spicy seasoned salt before grilling)
12 pre-cooked bacon slices
6 soft Kaiser rolls (about 4 1/2 inches in diameter), split
Romaine lettuce leaves
6 large tomato slices, about 1/4 inch thick

Recipe continues below ↓
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DIRECTIONS

• In a grill with a cover, prepare a medium-hot fire for direct-heat cooking.
• For caramelized onions, combine onion, pepper sauce, broth, vinegar, oil, garlic, and brown sugar in a 10-inch nonstick skillet with a lid. When coals are ready, place covered pan on grill rack. Cook onion mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and most of liquid is evaporated. Remove pan from grill and set aside.
• For spread, combine spreadable cheese and blue cheese in a saucepan; cover and set aside.
• For burgers, place ground beef in a large bowl. Drizzle in onion, Zinfandel, herbs, pepper sauce, and seasoned salt; mix gently. Shape beef mixture into 6 round patties.
• Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on grill rack, cover, and cook about 4 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until done to preference.
• Meanwhile, place saucepan with cheese spread on outer edge of grill rack to warm cheese mixture just until it reaches a very soft, spreading consistency. Remove saucepan from grill and set aside.
• During final minutes of grilling patties, arrange avocado slices on a rimmed nonstick perforated grilling pan coated lightly with oil, and grill alongside patties for 1 to 2 minutes, turning as necessary. During final 30 seconds, add bacon slices to pan. When avocados are nicely grilled and bacon is crisp, remove from grill. When
patties are cooked, remove from grill, stacking to keep warm. Place rolls, cut side down, on outer edges of grill to toast lightly.
• To assemble burgers, spread a generous amount of cheese spread over cut sides of rolls. On each roll bottom, layer lettuce, tomato slice, beef patty, caramelized onions, grilled avocado, and bacon. Add roll top and serve.

Wine Pairing - Zinfandel

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My Big Fat Greco-Inspired Burgers
Susan Mello, Jackson Heights, New York

6 burgers

INGREDIENTS

Tzatziki with Feta

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
11/2 cups plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese

Grilled Eggplant

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large eggplant, sliced into rounds
1/2 inch thick

Patties

2 pounds ground lamb
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
11/2 tablespoons ground cumin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 small pita breads, halved horizontally

DIRECTIONS


• To make the tzatziki, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
• To make the grilled eggplant, combine the vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and then whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is thick and well blended. Arrange the eggplant slices in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, pour the dressing over, and turn the eggplant to coat well. Set aside.
• To make the patties, combine the lamb, mint, and cumin in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the pita breads.
• When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Grill the eggplant slices until tender, about 3 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the pita breads, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
• To assemble the burgers, on each bread bottom, place 1/2 cup lettuce, a patty, an equal portion of the tzatziki, and an eggplant slice. Add the bread tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers

Wine Pairing - Merlot

MANAGE YOUR RECIPES