One of the most craveable foods is the hamburger. There are several components to a good hamburger, which is flavor, thickness, quality of meat, and toppings. The hamburger always gets a bad rep because it’s considered fast food and high in calories. There’s no doubt that some of our favorite burgers can pack on the calories, but if you do them yourself you’re in control and you can easily cut the calorie content in half by omitting those high calorie ingredients.
If you’ve never made a hamburger from scratch, it’s important to know what you want and not just get ground beef because it’s on sale. Some of the best meat for burgers is the cut from the shoulder, ground chuck that contains 15-20% fat, which can give your burger that juicy, tender moist flavor that you want from a good burger. You can also choose the type of meat you want your butcher to grind, which can really make a big difference in the flavor. Some of the best cuts are short rib, sirloin, flank, and skirt steak, which can be a little pricey, but worth the money.
What you put inside and how long you cook the burger (medium, medium rare, etc.) will also add to the flavor and the level of juiciness. Some people like to cook a burger plain with just salt and pepper and focus on the toppings for flavor, but in the Latino community we love to experiment and add some heat, so check out these awesome Latino-inspired burger recipes:
MexiBBQ
Recipe Submitted By Chef Jonathan VanSleet, MexiBBQ
Burger:
- 7oz beef burger – blend of ground sirloin, shortrib and brisket
- 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. caramelized onions
- 2 tbsp. pico de
- 2 tbsp. shredded lettuce
- 2 slices sliced avocado
- chipotle aioli to taste
- brioche bun
Chipotle Aioli:
- 1-2 canned chipotle peppers, with sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 4 cups mayonnaise
- Salt to taste
Click here for the full recipe.
Latin Macho Burger
Recipe Submitted By Jim Heins
- 3/4 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound chorizo
- 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
- 1 large onion, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, finely sliced
- Salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 cup jalapeno, minced
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 roasted red bell peppers
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 6 slices cheese
- 6 potato rolls, sliced
Click here for the full recipe.
Frita Cubana
Recipe Submitted By Chef Pedro Garcia
- 2 pounds beef
- 1 pound pork
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup crackermeal
- 1 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco
- 16 hamburger buns
Click here for the full recipe.