Burgers O'Brien

If garlic goes too far as a burger filling for you, try sautéed potatoes and bell pepper, a combo as auspicious as a four-leaf clover.

 

SERVES 6

 

O'BRIEN FILLING

6	slices uncooked bacon, halved
1	small russet potato or other baking potato (about ½ pound), grated
3	tablespoons chopped green or red bell pepper, or a combination
3	tablespoons chopped onion
½	fresh jalapeño or serrano chile, minced, optional
2	pounds freshly ground chuck (see "Not a Grind At All," [>])
1	egg
1	teaspoon salt
	Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 to 3	tablespoons All-'Round Rub ([>]) or additional salt and pepper
6	onion rolls, split, or hamburger buns, preferably bakery-made
	Mild cheddar or colby cheese slices, optional
	Red bell pepper rings and onion slices

Prepare the filling, first frying the bacon over medium heat in a heavy skillet. When the bacon is brown and crisp, remove it with a slotted spoon, drain it, and reserve. Add the potato, bell pepper, onion, and optional chile to the skillet and pat down in a single layer. Cook for several minutes, until the bottom of the mixture is brown and crisp, stirring up and patting back down until well browned on all sides. Cool briefly. (Don't refrigerate the mixture because it loses some of the crispness.)

Fire up the grill for a two-level fire capable of cooking first on high heat (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test) and then on medium heat (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).

While the grill preheats, place the ground chuck in a large bowl, and mix in the egg, salt, pepper, and the potato filling. Gently form the mixture into six patties about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Coat the patties with equal amounts of the dry rub or sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Grill the burgers uncovered over high heat for 1 minute per side. Move the burgers to medium heat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness, until crusty and richly brown with a bare hint of pink at the center. If grilling covered, sear both sides of the meat on high heat uncovered for 1 minute; finish the cooking with the cover on over medium heat for 7 to 9 minutes, turning once midway. Toast the buns at the edge of the grill if you wish. If you are adding cheese, place a piece on each burger a few minutes before you remove the meat from the grill.

Top the buns with the burgers, reserved bacon slices, and pepper and onion slices. Serve hot.

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Not a Grind At All

The key to a great burger is starting with freshly ground beef—nothing extra-lean—prepared to order at the meat market or ground at home. Many butchers, even in chain supermarkets, will grind the beef for you, but don't let the meat sit in the refrigerator for more than a few hours afterwards before you cook it.

For the freshest grind, we prefer to do the job ourselves right before we grill. The best tools for the task are a meat grinder or grinding attachment on a mixer, but you can also use a food processor, a more common appliance in the modern home kitchen. Take cold meat directly from the refrigerator and cut it into chunks or strips. In an average-size processor, grind the beef one burger at a time, pulsing it with the regular chopping blade. For the best taste and texture, we like a grind slightly coarser than the usual supermarket version.

We make burgers from beef chuck, though some people opt for round or a mixture of chuck with sirloin or other cuts. Buy a good grade of meat that contains a fair portion of fat, at least 15 percent and up to 20 percent. Cutting back on the fat simply diminishes the flavor without beginning to turn a burger into health food.

Don't compact the beef too tightly in forming patties and never smash it down with a spatula when you're cooking. Some folks refuse to salt the meat before it goes on the grate, saying that it draws out juices, but we think it enhances the taste. Definitely add pepper. Sear burgers briefly at first on high heat and finish the cooking over a medium fire, seeking a crusty but not charred surface and a juicy interior.

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