Cedar Plank Burgers

 

Cedar Plank Burgers by Bobby Flay

Level: Intermediate
Total: 3 hr 35 min. Inactive: 2 hr Cook time 55 min Yield: 4 servings

Bobby Flay says, "This recipe proves that cedar plank cooking is not just for salmon anymore. Cooking burgers over cedar planks creates amazing flavor, infusing every bite with smoky complexity. This is a fun and creative way to serve hamburgers at your next outdoor barbecue."
Ingredients
Grilled Mushrooms and Onions:
4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
2 Walla Walla onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Burgers:

2 untreated cedar planks, each about 5 by 12 inches, soaked in water to cover for at least 2 hours (available at hardware stores)
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80-percent lean)
1 cup Red Wine Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

8 slices good-quality aged white Cheddar
4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted on the grill
Red Wine Barbecue Sauce:
1 1/4 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol or cayenne powder
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
2 cups dry red wine, such as pinot noir

Directions:
For the grilled mushrooms and onions: 

Prepare a charcoal grill for direct and indirect heat. Brush the portobello mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and onions with oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat on both sides until slightly charred and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Reserve for the burgers.

For the burgers: 

Remove the planks from the water and place them over direct heat for about 2 minutes per side. Remove the planks from the grill and brush the top side with oil.

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Brush with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the burgers on the grill over direct heat and cook until nicely charred, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is charred, about 3 minutes. Place 2 burgers on each cedar plank. Put the planks over indirect heat, brush each burger with 1 tablespoon Red Wine Barbeque Sauce and top each with 2 slices of cheese. Cover the grill to melt the cheese and finish cooking, about 5 minutes.

Put the burgers on the bottom buns and top each with more barbeque sauce, some mushroom caps, some grilled onions and the top bun. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Barbecue Sauce:

Combine the ketchup, 1 cup water, ancho chile powder, honey, molasses, sugar, mustard, paprika, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chile de arbol, and chipotle chile in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring the wine to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Stir the reduced wine into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. (The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.)

Alton Brown Meatloaf Recipe

There’s just no competing with the Alton Brown Meatloaf recipe. Fill your kitchen with magic with this best, scientifically engineered recipe by Mr. Brown

Ingredients
6 Ounces Garlic Flavored Croutons
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Large Yellow Onion Roughly Chopped
1 Carrot Peeled and Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
3 Cloves Garlic Peeled
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
18 Ounces Ground Chuck
18 Ounces Ground Sirloin
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Large Egg

Topping:
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Dried Cumin
Dash Hot Sauce
1 Tablespoon Honey

Directions: 

Adjust oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Set aside. Combine the croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder and thyme in the bowl of food processor. Pulse until the mixture is a fine crumb. Pour crumb mixture into a mixing bowl. Add onion, carrot, garlic and red pepper to food processor and pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped (Don't over-pulse-since we don't want to go as far aspuree). Add the chopped vegetables, chuck, sirloin and salt to the breadcrumbs and combine. Mix in the egg and combine thoroughly, but don't squeeze the meat.

Press the mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to shape the meatloaf. Turn the meatloaf out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven.

Meanwhile, make the topping by combining ingredients in a small mixing bowl. After meatloaf has baked 10 minutes, remove it from oven and brush the ketchup mixture over top and sides. Place back in oven and bake until cooked through, about 55-65 minutes, or internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Alternate layers of cabbage rolls and tomato sauce over sautéed onion and tomatoes. Do not stir. Add water to cover. Cover and cook over medium heat 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion, chopped
2 3/4 tablespoons regular rice, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup shortening, melted*  see note
1 (1-pound) soup bone
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and 

    chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown 

    sugar*  see note
Dash of sour salt

Directions:
Combine ground chuck, eggs, 1 small chopped onion, rice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, mixing well. Set aside.

Turn cabbage, core side up. Using a sharp knife, make an incision across the base of the outermost leaf. Gently peel away the leaf. Repeat this process until leaves can no longer be removed without tearing.

Make additional incisions around the base of the next outermost leaves. Place cabbage, stem side up, in a colander. Pour boiling water over cabbage until leaves can be easily removed. Repeat procedure until all leaves have been removed.

Place 1 tablespoon meat mixture in the base of a cabbage leaf. Roll leaf jellyroll fashion until the mid-section is reached. Fold left side of leaf inward, and roll up remaining length of the leaf. Carefully stuff in the open end, using fingertips. Repeat with remaining meat mixture and cabbage leaves.

Sauté remaining chopped onion in shortening in a large Dutch oven. Add soup bone and tomatoes; stir gently.

Add brown sugar and sour salt; stir gently. Cover and cook over medium heat 1 hour. Uncover and cook 1 hour.

Remove cabbage rolls from cooking liquid, and place on a warm serving platter. Serve immediately.

Notes
For a lighter take on this comforting recipe, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the shortening and cut the brown sugar down to 3 tablespoons.

Best Hamburger

Total Time

20 MIN

Yield

Serves : 4

The ideal hamburger combines the fattiness of chuck with the rich, beefy flavor of sirloin. I use equal parts of both cuts in my mix, a foundation you can transform into all sorts of variations. When I have the time, I grind my own meat after salting it overnight: It's an extra step that makes the burger truly superb. 

Ingredients:
3/4 pound ground chuck, about 80 percent lean
3/4 pound ground sirloin, about 90 percent lean
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil
4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:

Light a grill. In a bowl, mix the ground meats and gently form into four 4-inch patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Make a 1/2-inch-deep indentation in the center of each patty, then rub lightly with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers over high heat, turning once, about 6 minutes for medium-rare; transfer to the buns, top with the relish and serve.  

Home-Ground Hamburger Meat: 

Trim the fat around 3/4 pound each of chuck roast and sirloin steak until it's 1/4 inch thick. Cut the meat into 2-by-1-inch strips, transfer to a nonreactive bowl and toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Using a meat grinder fitted with a medium disk, grind the meat.

• Grilled Chile Relish

Meatloaf

Alton Brown's Meatloaf

Ingredients:

6 Ounces Garlic Flavored Croutons

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1/2 Large Yellow Onion Roughly Chopped

1 Carrot Peeled and Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces

3 Cloves Garlic Peeled

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

18 Ounces Ground Chuck

18 Ounces Ground Sirloin

1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Large Egg

Topping:
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Dried Cumin

Dash of Hot Sauce

1 Tablespoon Honey

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine the croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder and thyme in the bowl of food processor. Pulse until the mixture is a fine crumb. Pour crumb mixture into a mixing bowl. Add onion, carrot, garlic and red pepper to food processor and pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped (Don't over-pulse-since we don't want to go as far as puree). Add the chopped vegetables, chuck, sirloin and salt to the breadcrumbs and combine. Mix in the egg and combine thoroughly, but don't squeeze the meat.

Meanwhile, make the topping by combining ingredients in a small mixing bowl. After meatloaf has baked 10 minutes, remove it from oven and brush the ketchup mixture over top and sides. Place back in oven and bake until cooked through, about 55-65 minutes, or internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.