You should all know I'm not much of a beef fan by now (chicken forever!), but this is my kind of burger. Chocked full of flavor with a little sweet and a little spicy, this is the kind of burger that makes you wish you were on a beach somewhere drinking some kind of colorful drink that comes with a mini-umbrella. It's almost disappointing to have this burger in winter in fact. But if you're dreaming of warmer times, then this dish will fill the spot.
I know the ingredient list looks a bit crazy, but it's really not as bad as it seems. If you have a favorite burger recipe, you can easily substitute it here. In fact, I used
this recipe for sour cream burgers instead. (If you make these let the sour cream, soup mix, and burgers sit in the fridge overnight. It makes a huge difference. And try panko breadcrumbs.) I used canned pineapple instead of fresh since it's not in season and it turned out fine. I couldn't get as much caramelization as I would have liked, but it was still tasty. I also skipped the chipotle-mayo and went for BBQ sauce instead. Do what makes you happy though.
Would I make this again? Yes, but I would use fresh pineapple. This will be great when it gets warm again.
Hawaiian Burger with Caramelized Pineapple and Crisp Bacon
Ingredients:
Burger Patty:
1 egg
1 bunch fresh chives, minced
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon steak spice
Big pinch Greek oregano
Big pinch hot chile flakes
Big pinch sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh ground organic chuck
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
Toppings:
8 slices Applewood smoked bacon
4 fresh pineapple slices, 1/2-inch thick
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 brioche buns or challah bread, toasted and cut in half
Boston lettuce
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds
8 pickle slices
jalapenos
Directions:
1. To make the burger patty: In a bowl, mix the egg, chives, parsley, garlic, steak spice, Greek oregano, chile flakes, sea salt, and pepper. Add the beef and squish together for 30 seconds to season the beef, don’t over mix, cover and refrigerate.
2. To prepare the toppings: Heat a big pan over medium heat and line up the bacon slices. Cook until golden and crispy. Drain.
3. Heat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush both sides of the pineapple with butter and lightly sprinkle with brown sugar. Place on baking sheet and broil until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
4. Shape beef into 4 wide 1-inch thick patties. Heat the canola oil in a pan on medium-high. Sear patties for 2 minutes on each side, until they develop a nice crust. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 3 minutes per side. Top each patty with a slice of mozzarella cheese and melt.
5. Place burger patty with melted cheese, bacon, a slice of caramelized pineapple, toppings, and a little bbq sauce (or chipotle-mayo) on top of your bun and serve.
Chipotle-mayo:
1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Pinch sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor, blend together the mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, salt, and pepper.
Source: Bitchin Kitchen