I really enjoy a good chile relleno. Here Chef Cris combines the rich flavors of poblano peppers with the delicious smokiness of grilled beef and mild sliced avocado. My son Reid and his wife, Nicole, absolutely love Mexican food, and this dish is right up their alley. As for me, the red salsa really makes this burger something special. I always prefer a good red salsa to a green salsa because the salsa roja has more depth—but they both have a place in healthy, authentic southwestern cooking.
MAKES 8 BURGERS
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES TO CHILL THE MEAT
COOKING TIME: 12 MINUTES
4 poblano peppers
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon steak sauce of your choice
4 pounds ground chuck (80-20 meat-to-fat ratio)
1 pound asadero or provolone cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon Nolan Ryan Steak Seasoning (here)
8 hamburger buns, toasted
Outer leaves from 1 head iceberg lettuce
2 large tomatoes, sliced
3 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced thin
1 recipe Salsa Roja (here)
1 Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high. If using a grill, lightly oil the grill grates.
2 Roast the poblano peppers on the grill or stovetop until nicely charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and cool them down in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to sweat them. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, and peel off the skin.
3 Combine the Worcestershire and steak sauces in a small bowl and set aside.
4 Form the ground chuck into 16 patties. Place 8 patties on a baking sheet; top each with half of a poblano and some shredded cheese. Place the other 8 patties on top of the pepper and cheese and form a seal so that the pepper and cheese becomes a filling between the patties. Season the burgers on both sides with the steak seasoning. Refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes to allow the seasoning to flavor the meat.
5 Grill the patties (in batches, if necessary) for 6 minutes per side for medium-well; brush with the Worcestershire–steak sauce mixture with each turn.
6 Top each bottom burger bun with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Place a burger on top and cover with the bun tops. Serve with salsa roja on the side.
I really appreciate the port wine in the sauce for this burger, and I have seen port used effectively with a variety of preparations for grilled steaks. Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse, a restaurant located near Minute Maid Park in Houston, serves a port peppercorn sauce for its superb filet mignon. Port is one of those ingredients that adds something special to the flavor of the beef. With this dish, though, the crunchy onions are still the star ingredient.
With this recipe the key is to brush the burgers with the combination of Worcestershire, steak sauce, and port before and during grilling.
MAKES 8 BURGERS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES TO CHILL THE MEAT
COOKING TIME: 10 TO 12 MINUTES
4 pounds ground chuck (80-20 meat-to-fat ratio)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup steak sauce of your choice
2 teaspoons port
8 hamburger buns, toasted
2 (6-ounce) packages French-fried onions
Mustard of your choice
Nolan’s Tip: The ideal burger should be 80-20—that is, 80 percent beef to 20 percent fat—and cooked over medium-high heat to give it a nice char.
1 Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high. If using a grill, lightly oil the grill grates.
2 Form the ground chuck into 8 patties and season with salt and pepper. The patties should be no thicker than ¾ inch or they will take too long to cook. Refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes to allow the seasoning to flavor the meat.
3 In a medium bowl, combine the Worcestershire, steak sauce, and port; brush the burgers with this sauce before putting them on the grill.
4 Cook the patties (in batches, if necessary) for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-well, basting with the sauce with each turn.
5 Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with fried onions and mustard, and cover with the bun tops.
Offered as an appetizer on most Texas restaurant menus, between the fried chicken tenders and carne asada quesadillas, this dish gets its punch of Southwest flavor from pico de gallo—a delicious blend of red onions, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers.
I’m providing instructions both for making homemade sliders and for using Nolan Ryan Beef pre-cooked sliders, which can be baked in the oven and then finished over charcoal, if you like, to give them that cookout flavor. Sliders make for a lean and tasty high-protein snack, so it’s not surprising that they’re one of the fastest growing food trends in the United States.
MAKES 16 SLIDERS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES TO SEASON THE MEAT
COOKING TIME: 6 TO 15 MINUTES
2 pounds ground chuck (80-20 meat-to-fat ratio)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
16 slider buns, toasted
4 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced thin
1 recipe Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
1 In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire with a large fork and spatula. Finish mixing with your hands, but do not overmix.
2 Form the mixture into 16 sliders, or mini burger patties, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes to allow the seasonings to flavor the meat.
3 Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high. If using a grill, lightly oil the grill grates.
4 Cook the patties (in batches, if necessary) for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
5 Place a slider on each slider bun bottom, top with avocado and pico de gallo, and cover with the bun tops.
16 Nolan Ryan Beef pre-cooked sliders, thawed
16 slider buns, toasted
4 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced thin
1 recipe Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
1 Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2 Place the Nolan Ryan sliders on a well-oiled baking sheet. Bake the sliders for 12 to 15 minutes (following the cooking directions on the package). If you have a grill at the ready, finish for 1 minute per side on the grill for extra char.
3 Place a slider on each slider bun bottom, top with avocado and pico de gallo.
Makes about 2 cups
Prep time: 10 minutes
2 medium red onions, diced
2 to 3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced small
½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (leaves only)
Juice of 2 limes
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.