BACK YARD BURGERS: BLACK JACK BURGER
SAVE: 201 CALORIES, 27 G FAT, 10 G SAT. FAT
The adventure of making this burger was probably the most fun of any for me . . . and most embarrassing for my friend Jamie. I arrived in Nashville, where he’d kindly invited me to be his houseguest while working on the recipes from the region—little did he know that I was going to completely take over his bachelor kitchen.
He’d mentioned that the closest Back Yard Burgers was near the airport, so I arrived prepared: food scale tucked into my purse, and ruler and waxed paper sticking out of it. When I explained that we’d need to pull the burger apart and weigh and measure its components in the restaurant, he looked horrified. I gave him a giant grin and then immediately popped out of the car with the energy of an eager student on the first day of school.
After asking the staff way too many questions for Jamie’s comfort, I secured my burgers with plenty of extra sauce on the side. We went to the back of the restaurant, and I pulled out my equipment as I began to break the burgers apart, explaining my procedure to Jamie. It was obvious that I wasn’t going unnoticed by either the customers or the staff, but we didn’t flinch. We finished the measurements, rewrapped the burgers, and escaped without incident . . . phew.
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Creole mustard
51⁄3 ounces (1⁄3 pound) 96% lean ground beef (about 2⁄3 cup)
½ teaspoon Creole or Cajun blackening seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
1 hamburger bun (about 3¾")
1 slice (½ ounce) 2% milk pepper jack cheese single
1 slice tomato (¼" thick)
1 leaf green lettuce
IN a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
On a sheet of waxed paper, shape the beef into a 4½" somewhat square-shaped patty. Season each side with the Creole or Cajun seasoning and salt.
Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water sizzle when splashed on the pan. Place the patty in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, place the bun top and bottom, cut-sides down, in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until toasted.
Place the bun bottom, toasted side up, on a plate. Spread with ½ teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Top with the burger, cheese, tomato, and lettuce. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on the toasted side of the bun top. Flip onto the sandwich.
MAKES 1 SERVING
379 calories, 37 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 1 g fiber
Original Back Yard Burgers Black Jack Burger: 580 calories, 31 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 39 g fat, 14 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber
BEFORE YOU START After learning that Back Yard Burgers uses pepper jack singles on its burger, I wondered how I would find a reduced-fat version. As it turns out, reduced-fat pepper jack singles are relatively easy to find in supermarkets in the South. It seems that pepper jack is more in demand because it’s widely used in that region. If the singles aren’t available in your area, simply buy a block of reduced-fat jack and cut it into thin ½-ounce slices. The finished burger will definitely taste just as great.