{BURGER BASH WEEK} THE FINALE

Friends, it's finally time!  We have reached the last day of Burger Bash Week and I hope you have called your friends because its almost time to set the table - picnic table, that is. 

We have been juicing, baking, and frying all week in preparation for this and it's finally here!  It's time to make some burgers!

The last component of our very fancy burger is, the burger!  This burger is stuffed with Brie and Gruyere, one of my favorite cheese pairings.  

It's seasoned simply, with just a bit of garlic power, thyme, salt, and pepper.

And then it's grilled.  

Hello darling...

Our homemade Caramelized Onion Burger Buns are lightly toasted and spread with our Caramelized Onion and Apple Jam.

Hot, crisp, onion rings are arranged and drinks are poured. 

Ta-da!!!

Refreshing, tropical drink? Check!  Homemade condiment in the form of Caramelized Onion and Apple Jam? Check!  Soft, homemade Caramelized Onion Burger Buns?  Check!  Obligatory fried element a.k.a. crispy onion rings?  Check!  Juicy, cheesy, stuffed burgers?  Check!  And we are done!

These burgers are not only the perfect way to begin your summer, they will also make your backyard picnic the coolest and most delicious picnic of the summer.

If you haven't begun your cooking yet, here are all the recipes you'll need to throw your very own Burger Bash!

Papaya Ginger Lemonade Spritzer

Caramelized Onion and Apple Jam

Caramelized Onion Burger Buns

Tempura-Battered Onion Rings

Oh, and if you'd like to have dessert as well, (I always want dessert), you could definitely make these pies, or these milkshakes.

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Thanks for spending this week with me!  I hope you all enjoy!

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

p.s. I didn't forget your shopping list - you'll find a list of everything you need for these scrumptious burgers after the recipe! 

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Brie and Gruyere Stuffed Burgers

makes 4

- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 

- freshly ground pepper 

- 1/4 cup grated Gruyere 

- 3 ounces triple cream Brie 

In a large bowl, combine ground beef and seasonings.  Use your fingertips to work the seasonings into the ground beef, being careful not to squeeze into a paste.

Divide the meat into four 4-ounce portions. 

Using a sharp knife, remove the rind from the Brie and cut it into cubes.  Combine Brie and Gruyere in a small bowl and beat with a hand mixer to form a rough paste.

Take about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture and press it into the center of each portion of beef.  Shape the ground beef around the cheese and press gently to flatten and shape the burger.

Wrap each burger in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.  This will allow the burger to set up a bit which will help it to hold onto the cheese once it hits the heat. 

When the burgers have chilled, heat up your grill and place the burgers over medium-high heat.  Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on your desired doneness.  Enjoy!

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Here is that shopping list I promised you! 

Grocery List 

{Burger Bash}

things you might already have in your pantry and fridge...

• mustard seeds 
• dried thyme 
• sesame seeds
• garlic powder
• cornstarch
• all-purpose flour
• bread flour
• brown sugar 
• granulated sugar
• olive oil 
• canola oil
• white wine
• apple cider vinegar 
• 1 egg
• whole milk
• vegetable broth

Produce 

• apples (2)
• onions (6)
• garlic cloves 
• papaya 
• lemons (5-6)
• romaine lettuce 

Refrigerated 

• apples (2)
• brie, I prefer triple cream
• gruyere 
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)

Pantry 

• ginger ale (2)12-ounce cans
• seltzer water (1 can)
• active rise yeast (1 packet)  

{BURGER BASH WEEK} Tempura Battered Onion Rings

It's Thursday and time for the fourth installment of Burger Bash Week!  I know you're hungry and it is really a cruel form of torture to make you wait five days for the full recipe, so I'm giving you something sweet, fried, and wonderful to snack on while we wait for the burgers to come off the grill.  

That's right, we are making onion rings!

Yes, these burgers do involve a lot of onions, is that a problem?  Okay, good, I don't think so either.

We begin by slicing up some sweet onions.  I always end up crying at this part.  Onion vapors are menacing. 

Isn't it cool how they make perfect rings without any manipulation?  It's like they were meant to be dredged, fried, and turned into little savory donuts.

The onions are dredged in a simple tempura batter that has been spiked with a bit of garlic powder.  Tempura batters are light and airy, and the perfect coating for our sweet, tender onions.

I hate frying, like, I really, really hate it.  It's messy and I always, always burn myself. However, I did discover that these onion rings can be fried in a fairly shallow amount of oil which cuts down on both the mess and the burns.  I used my deep dutch oven and filled it about 3 inches full of oil. 

Go ahead, you know you want one...and if you are anything like me you will not be able to wait until they cool, so you'll burn your mouth and get mad before going back for more.

Now you may be wondering what exactly onion rings add to a burger.  Are they really necessary?  Well, no... But this burger isn't about necessity, it's about deliciousness, and a fried component always helps in the flavor department.  These onion rings provide a crispy, potato-chip like element which add both richness and texture to our burger.  

Just look at them.  Crisp, sweet, and perfectly seasoned.  I can promise you that the majority of these will never make it on your burgers, but that's okay, taste-testing is one of a chef's best perks.  Enjoy!

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

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Tempura Battered Onion Rings 

recipe adapted slightly from Joy the Baker / makes enough for 4 burgers + snacking 

• 2 medium sweet onions, peeled and sliced into rings
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 teaspoons salt + extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces sparkling water 
• canola oil

Line a baking sheet with newspaper or paper towels and place a cooling rack on top.  

Fill a dutch oven with canola oil, until it is about 3 inches deep.  Fit with a thermometer and place over medium high heat.  Heat the oil to 360 degrees. 

In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.  Whisk in sparkling water until a pancake-like batter is formed.   

Add the sliced onions and toss with tongs to fully coat the rings in the batter.  

When the oil has reached 360 degrees, add several onion rings.  You will probably have to do them in about four batches depending upon the size of your dutch oven.  The oil temperature will drop as soon as you add the onions so increase the heat until it returns to 360 degrees.  Make sure that your oil is at 360 before adding each new batch of onion rings.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they are deep golden.

Use tongs to remove the rings from the oil and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool slightly before serving.  Enjoy!

{BURGER BASH WEEK} Caramelized Onion Hamburger Buns

Happy Wednesday friends! I hope you all have been following along with my Burger Bash but if not, so far we have made an incredibly refreshing Papaya Ginger Lemonade Spritzer and Caramelized Onion and Apple Jam.  Now it's time to make one of the most important burger components - the bun.

Let's talk about hamburger buns for a second.  I'm always heartbroken when an establishment brags about their ridiculously fancy burger and serves it on a subpar bun.  So many times I have been served an incredible burger on a completely inferior bun.  Why would you do that?  If you have something excellent, don't serve it inside a flat, soggy, flavorless wrapper.  Good hamburger buns are hard to come by, and unless you have a good bakery that offers them, I would suggest that you make your own.

It's easy, I promise.

I used Joy the Baker's recipe as my base and then changed things up just a tiny bit so that this bun would be the perfect addition to my Burger Bash burger.  

Our simple dough is made with both bread and all-purpose flours, giving these buns the perfect balance of chewiness and softness. 

Caramelized onions are folded in at the very end of the kneading process and the dough is left to rise for a bit.  Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and read a magazine while you're waiting.  

Next, our dough is shaped into buns and then left to rise again. 

You should really divide this dough into eight even buns, but I got carried away and made twelve smaller buns.  Real life. 

After the buns have risen a second time they are brushed with egg wash, which is basically bronzer for baked goods, then sprinkled with salt and sesame seeds.  

Look at you!  You just made homemade, perfectly imperfect hamburger buns!

I love these buns because their flavor is truly present.  These buns are not just a vehicle to get the burger into our mouths, they are one of the many parts that make this burger something special.  They are soft, yet sturdy, and super easy to make.

Stay tuned for more Burger Bash fun!  

Sincerely,

  Pedantic Foodie 

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Caramelized Onion Burger Buns 

recipe adapted from Joy the Baker / makes 8 burger buns 

for the caramelized onions 

• 1 1/2 cups diced onions, about 1 1/2 onions 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 teaspoon salt 

In a small frying pan melt butter over medium high heat.  Add onions and salt and cook, stirring often for 15-20 minutes, until deep golden brown and caramelized.  Allow to cool completely.  

for the buns 

• 1 cup warm water 
• 3 tablespoons warm whole milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
• 3 cups bread flour 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt + extra for topping
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water 
• sesame seeds

In the work bowl of your stand mixer combine warm water, milk, granulated sugar, and yeast.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.  The yeast will be foamy and frothy.  

In a large bowl whisk to combine flours and salt.  Using the tips of your fingers, work softened butter into the flour mixture.  The flour will be slightly crumbly, like the beginnings of a pie dough.  

Add dry ingredients to the yeast mixture in the stand mixer and mix on low speed using the dough hook attachment.  When the ingredients are thoroughly combined, increase speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes.  During the last minute, add cooled, caramelized onions. The dough will be somewhat sticky, but not overly so.  

Turn the dough out unto a floured surface and shape into a ball.  Place the dough in a large bowl greased with nonstick spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Place in a warm place and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly with nonstick spray.  Turn the risen dough out unto a floured surface and divide into eight equal pieces.  Roll each piece of dough into a round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

In a small bowl prepare egg wash by whisking egg with 1 teaspoon water.  Brush the tops of the risen buns with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.  

Bake the buns for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. 

Allow to cool before slicing and serving.  

Enjoy!