Pastrami Burger
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces good-quality pastrami, sliced
- 2 pounds ground beef (80-20 blend)
- 8 slices muenster cheese
- 4 soft brioche hamburger buns, split
- 2 kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced
- 8 Boston lettuce leaves (about 1 small lettuce head)
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Caraway coleslaw
- Start a wood campfire and wait until the flames die down and the coals glow red with white ash.
- Lower a grilling grate so that it sits above the coals and you have nice, even medium heat.
- Place the butter and garlic in a large cast-iron skillet and set over the fire (or on a stovetop over medium heat).
- As the butter melts, the garlic will infuse the butter and become fragrant.
- Stir well and season with salt and pepper; transfer the garlic butter to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
- Place the same skillet back over medium heat to warm up.
- Add enough canola oil to coat the skillet, about 2 tablespoons, then add the onion.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion caramelizes, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Season with salt and cook until soft and evenly brown, about 3 more minutes.
- Transfer the onion to a plate and set aside.
- Raise the heat level to medium high by moving the skillet so it's directly over the coals, or lower the grate so it's closer to the coals.
- Add enough canola oil to coat the skillet, about 2 tablespoons.
- Add the pastrami and cook, turning a few times, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the pastrami and set aside, leaving any accumulated juices in the skillet.
- Divide the ground beef into 4 portions and form into 4 tight balls.
- Sprinkle them all over with salt and pepper.
- Place the hamburger balls in the skillet and sear 30 to 40 seconds, then use a strong flat metal spatula to flatten them.
- Continue to press with the spatula and cook until the burgers develop a crust on the bottom, about 2 1/2 minutes.
- Flip and cook to develop a crust on the second side, 1 minute.
- Use a spoon to baste the burgers with the pastrami fat in the pan.
- Top each burger with 2 slices cheese.
- Pour 1 tablespoon water into the skillet and cover with a lid, aluminum foil or another pan to seal in the steam (this will help melt the cheese).
- Leave covered 30 to 40 seconds, until the cheese has melted, then remove the lid.
- When the burgers are at the desired point of doneness and the cheese is melted, top each with a pile of crispy pastrami, then set the burgers aside.
- Brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with the garlic butter.
- Toast the buns directly on the grill over the campfire until golden and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 seconds.
- Flip and lightly toast the outside of the buns, another 15 seconds.
- Assemble each burger by layering the bottom half of each bun with pickle slices and caramelized onion, then a pastrami-burger patty.
- Top each with lettuce, tomatoes and the top half of the bun.
- Serve with caraway coleslaw.
- Photograph from "Guy on Fire: 130 Recipes for Adventures in Outdoor Cooking"
butter, garlic, kosher salt, canola oil, sweet onion, ground beef, muenster cheese, buns, kosher dill pickles, tomatoes
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/pastrami-burger.html (may not work)