This recipe takes a French twist on the regular BBQ burger. Add a few key ingredients to take your burger to another place!
I love this recipe because it is only a few simple ingredients and the flavours are distinctive and balanced. You can forget all the other condiments. Believe me - you won't miss them!
Jump to:
Ingredients & Substitutions
Burgers
- Beef - Lean ground beef is recommended because it has the right amount of fat to BBQ without becoming dry, as would be the risk with extra lean beef. Medium ground beef could be used but be prepared for more BBQ flare-ups. However, use extra lean or medium if that is what you have. Just watch they don't burn or overcook.
- Tarragon - the flavours are subtle but if you are a fan of tarragon you will recognize it right away. It is recommended but in a pinch, you can substitute oregano or marjoram. Do not substitute basil or rosemary- you will change the French essence too much.
- Brie - Of course, the Brie cheese topping is recognizably French. You can substitute Camembert or a similar soft rind French cheese
- Other Toppings - You don't really need to put m/any other toppings on this burger. So put away the Ketchup and relish! It is easy to overwhelm the subtlety of the French flavours. Since there is Dijon in the meat mixture as well as minced shallots, there is no need to add mustard or onion to the toppings. That makes French burgers quite easy to serve because you don't need all the array of usual condiments. A touch of mayonnaise is nice though.
Caramelized Onions
- Caramelized onions - You can use yellow or red or sweet onions but the caramelized onions are an essential element to the French burger. You can make the onions ahead of time and just reheat while the burgers cook, or you can cook them while the burgers are cooking. They take at least ten minutes longer though, so start them ahead of the burgers.
What to Serve with French Brie Burgers
If you want to be really bougie, serve a French cornichon pickle on the side, or failing that, a plain old dill pickle will work too.
Wine Pairing
This is a fun meal so go with a simple French red wine. A Rhone blend would be perfect, a Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend would also work. Any medium-bodied red would make a good match for this casual burger.
A Chardonnay or full-bodied Chenin Blanc could work from the White spectrum.
FAQs
You could but the sweetness of the caramelized onion complements the Brie flavours and makes more of an onion relish.
No, you don't need to. Be sure to slice your Brie thinly so it will melt and spread to the sides of your burger.
Tarragon is worth seeking out but if you can't find it then I might use Parsley instead. I think Basil or Rosemary would make it too Italian and clash with the Brie.
Related Recipes
French Brie Burger
If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!
Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
Burger
- 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
- ¼ cup shallots minced
- 3 Tbsps fresh tarragon minced
- 2 Tbsps Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 oz Brie Cheese very thinly sliced
- 4 Burger buns
Caramelized Onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion (like Vidalia)
- ½ teaspoon thyme minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt and black pepper (each)
- ¼ cup red wine (or sub 2 Tbsps red wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix all burger ingredients, except buns & Brie, well in a bowl. Divide into 4 equal amounts and form 4 uniform burgers.
- Heat olive oil in a sauce pan and add onions, salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes over medium/high heat then add red wine and brown sugar. Reduce heat to med/low and cook a further 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Onions should be dark, golden brown. If there is any hint of burning reduce heat.
- While onions are cooking, heat up BBQ grill. Cook burgers over medium heat 9-10 minutes per side. Add Brie cheese when you remove burgers from the grill. Cover burgers with Brie for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute internally and cheese to soften.
- While burgers are resting, lightly toast buns on BBQ if desired.
- Serve with hot caramelized onions.
Leave a Reply