Pimento Cheeseburgers

Makes about 30 patties, 6 to serve and 24 to freeze

The building that is now 17th Street Barbecue started out as Ellis Tavern in 1925, and it’s had multiple names and owners over the years. While these establishments were all bars catering mostly to men, the single constant, as far back as Mike—or anyone in town, for that matter—can remember is that each served two bar snacks: a barbecue sandwich and a hamburger. To this day, our menu still features a quarter-pound burger simply dressed with mustard, onion, and pickle. We think The Original, as we call it, is at its best when spread thickly with pimento cheese, which is house-made in keeping with the Mills family recipe. The rich flavor and creamy texture of the melting pimento cheese take a straightforward, well-executed burger over the top.

This recipe makes a lot of patties so that you can freeze the extra and cook ’em up for truly great backyard burgers any time. Feel free to have the butcher grind the meat together for you when you purchase it.

• 4 pounds brisket, prime or choice, very cold, cut into 4-x-2-inch chunks
• 4 pounds chuck, prime or choice, very cold, cut into 4-x-2-inch chunks
• 1½ pounds beef fat, very cold, cut into 4-x-2-inch chunks
• Texas Forever Brisket Rub (page 30) or kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 6 hamburger buns
• ½ to ¾ cup Piquant Pimento Cheese (page 53), slightly softened
• Sliced onions, tomatoes, pickles, and other toppings of your choice
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• Meat grinder (see page 76) fitted with a 3/8-inch grinding plate
• 3 pounds good-quality lump charcoal
• Kitchen scale (optional)

Before grinding, toss the chunks of meat and fat together. Grind the beef into a very cold large bowl. Use your hands to lightly fluff the ground mixture just enough to blend the components; do not overwork. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to form the burgers.

Lightly form 6 patties, each about ⅓ pound and ½ inch thick, being careful not to pack or overwork the meat (see page 137). Set the patties on a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate them, loosely covered, until you’re ready to grill.

Form 24 more patties. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange as many burgers as can fit without touching on one baking sheet and slide the sheet into the freezer. Put the remaining patties on the other sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator. Once the first round of patties has frozen solid, which can take 2 to 3 hours, layer them with squares of waxed paper, transfer them to a freezer bag, press out all the air before sealing, and put them back in the freezer. Repeat the process in as many batches as needed to freeze the rest of the patties. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before grilling.

Set up the cooker for direct cooking: Open the top and bottom vents. Pile 2 pounds of the charcoal in the bottom. Load a charcoal chimney one-quarter full of charcoal and light it. When the coals in the chimney are glowing, dump them on top of the pile of charcoal already in the cooker and close the lid. Adjust the vents as necessary to establish a steady temperature between 400° and 450° for direct grilling (See pages 84 and 77 for how best to assess and monitor cooker temperature, and how to determine your target temperature).

Season the burgers one by one as you put them on the cooker: Hold a patty in one hand and generously sprinkle the top with dry rub, then set the patty seasoned side down on the cooker. Press your thumb in the middle of the patty to make a deep indentation. Season the top. Close the lid. Wait for about 5 minutes, then open the lid. Moisture should have pooled on the tops of the patties and the sides should be beginning to sizzle; if this isn’t happening yet, close the lid again for 1 more minute.

Flip the burgers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the internal temperature reaches 155°.

If you prefer toasted buns, about 2 minutes after you’ve flipped the burgers, put the buns cut side down along the outer edge of the cooker. Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn; toasting them should only take about 1 minute. As soon as the edges begin to brown, use tongs to pull the buns off the cooker and set on a platter.

Just before pulling the burgers off the cooker, top each with a heaping tablespoon of pimento cheese. Use a spatula to transfer the hamburgers to the bottom buns. If you prefer larger burgers, use 2 patties, topping each with a dollop of pimento cheese. Top as desired and serve.

Safety Note

In order to prevent the risk of E. coli infection, the internal temperature of your burgers needs to reach 155° and stay there for at least 20 seconds.