Avoid the mess with Beer Can Stuffed Burgers - your condiments are on the inside!
Oh.. and the beer can part - no your are not going to perch your patty on top of a beer can like you do for beer can chicken. You are going to use the beer can to indent your patty to hold all those luscious, juicy additions to your burger.
Full disclosure... as you will see... my 'beer can' was a bottle of Corona!
If you are looking for a juicy, flavourful burger this has your name written all over it!
I love juicy burgers with melty cheese, mushrooms, bacon and all kinds of other additions. But they can be messy...
So stuffed burgers finely chop up bacon, caramelized onions, maybe some mushrooms and grated cheese and cram them into the cavity of the burger. When you bite in you get the flavour and the juiciness and I didn't have any of it sliding out of my burger down my hand and chin.
I call that a win!! (So does my laundry!)
You can use the flavours that you like best. Swiss cheese and mushrooms are a classic combination. Caramelized onions and cheddar go well.
I used a Monterey Jack cheese since soft cheeses tend to melt better than say cheddar.
Chef's Tips for Beer Can Stuffed Burgers
- Plan on about 7 oz of raw meat per burger. You need enough meat to close up around your fillings and 4 oz just isn't going to cut it. In the end you will have a substantial burger.
- Plan on a good size bun as well since your burger will be generous.
- The meat mixture can be your favourite burger mix... as simple as beef alone or a beef/pork mixture. Spices like you would normally use. I don't suggest bread crumbs in the mix since you are going for juicy and the crumbs tend to make a drier burger. I used a beef/sausage combo with my dry rub seasoning. You can see the exact amounts in the recipe card.
- Use the filling flavours you like best. Caramalized onions, bacon, jalapeno etc Blue cheese could be fun in a lamb burger....
- You won't have a lot of room to fill the center of the burger so don't get carried away with quantities. Make sure they are chopped finely and cheese is grated. I used ½ Tablespoon each of mushrooms and caramelized onions and grated cheese in one style burger. In the other I used ½ tablespoon each of chopped bacon, caramelized onion and cheese.
- If using bacon cook it a bit first - at least half cooked- to ensure it is fully cooked in the center of the burger when the burger is done. And chop it finely. It helps to pre cook ingredients like mushrooms as well and cut them finely. And caramelized onions are of course, already cooked.
- If you are going with a 'busy' burger you could consider working the bacon bits in to the meat mixture and that will give you more room for cheese, onion etc in the filling.
- With all the flavour in the stuffing you don't need as many condiments. I was happy with a bit of ketchup, mayo and salt and pepper but again... go with your tastes.
Beer Can Stuffed Burgers
Ingredients
- 3 lbs lean ground beef
- 12 oz mild Italian sausage about 3 large links
- 1.5 tablespoon Legendary Dry Rub or seasoning of your choice
Fillings
- 2 strips bacon half cooked and chopped finely
- 4 Tbsps minced mushrooms sauteed
- 4 Tbsps caramelized onions chopped finely
- 4 Tbsps grated cheese soft cheeses melt best
Instructions
- Make meat mixture. Work meats and spices together but do not overmix or the meat will get tough.
- Form balls approximately 7 oz in weight. Flatten slightly in to a disk.
- Use a beer can or bottle (I used a Corona bottle) to make an indentation in the ceter of the disk.
- Layer the fillings you have chosen - about ½ tablespoon each in to the center of the indentation. You should be able to fit about 3 fillings. Gently fold the outer edges up and over the fillings. Pat with your hands gently so you don't see any of the fillings. Flatten in to disc-like patties. They will be thick.Optional: Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes or overnight. This can help the patties and fillings set.
- When ready to cook, heat up the BBQ grill. Grill about 9 minutes over medium high heat on each side. Internal temperature should reach 160° F. (Check close to the center - you are trying to measure the meat clsoest to the center -not the fillings.)
- Remove burgers from the grill. Cover loosely and allow to rest about 5 minutes.
- Serve with buns and condiments of your choice.
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