Chef Suzanne Goin’s perfect burger theory first
looks inside the patty itself, instead of just stacking more layers on top. A
burger isn’t so different from a meatball or crab cake.
(You don’t just make a ball of meat or a cake of crab—you flavor it!) She starts with ground pork and lards it with minced bacon and fresh Mexican chorizo, as she told me, “To help the meat stay moist, but also to flavor it with all that delicious smoky spiciness.” Then, instead of mixing her aromatics and spices straight into the meat, she sautés them together first—sweetening, softening, and unleashing them. With these smart additions, she effectively makes a fresh sausage for the grill.
(You don’t just make a ball of meat or a cake of crab—you flavor it!) She starts with ground pork and lards it with minced bacon and fresh Mexican chorizo, as she told me, “To help the meat stay moist, but also to flavor it with all that delicious smoky spiciness.” Then, instead of mixing her aromatics and spices straight into the meat, she sautés them together first—sweetening, softening, and unleashing them. With these smart additions, she effectively makes a fresh sausage for the grill.
You could put this on a bun with Manchego and
arugula and call it a day. Or you can commit to the full Goin Grilled Pork
Burger Experience, which also involves a homemade aïoli and romesco sauce. Both tack on more time,
spent dishes, and probably a slow burn in your dominant shoulder area. But all
of these components can be made ahead (in fact, the burger mix tastes better
made a day in advance), and the aïoli and romesco can be used in other dishes
through the week. Best of all, at whatever level you choose to engage with this
recipe, the next time you want to make burgers you can take Goin’s ideas and
riff on them endlessly.
Makes 6 burgers
AÏOLI
1 extra-large egg
yolk
½ cup (120ml) grapeseed
oil
½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive
oil
1 small clove garlic
Kosher salt
¼ lemon, for juicing
Pinch of cayenne
pepper
ROMESCO
5 ancho chiles
2 tablespoons raw
almonds
2 tablespoons blanched
hazelnuts
1¼ cups (300ml) extra-virgin
olive oil
1 slice country bread, about 1
inch (2.5cm) thick
⅓ cup (80g) San Marzano canned
tomatoes
1 clove garlic,
chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
½ lemon, for juicing
Kosher salt
BURGERS
1½ teaspoons cumin
seeds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more for grilling
½ cup (80g) diced
shallots
1 tablespoon minced
garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
leaves
2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced
on the bias
1½ teaspoons kosher
salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
2 pounds (900g) ground
pork
4 ounces (115g) fresh Mexican
chorizo, casing removed
3 ounces (85g) applewood-smoked
bacon, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
Olive oil
6 slices Manchego
cheese
6 brioche buns or other good
burger buns
2 ounces (60g)
arugula
1 To make the aïoli, place the
yolk in a stainless steel bowl. Begin whisking in the grapeseed oil, drop by
drop. Once the mixture has thickened and emulsified, you can whisk in the
remaining grapeseed and olive oils in a slow, steady stream. If the mixture gets
too thick, add a drop or two of water.
2 Pound the garlic with ¼ teaspoon salt
with a mortar and pestle. Whisk the garlic paste into the aïoli. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt, a
squeeze of lemon juice, and the cayenne. Taste for balance and seasoning. If the
aïoli seems thick and gloppy, thin it with a little water. In addition to
thinning the aïoli, this will also make it creamier. The aïoli will keep,
tightly sealed in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
3 To make the romesco, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Stem and seed the
chiles, and then soak them in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain and
pat dry with paper towels.
4 Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and
toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.
5 Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and wait a minute. Fry the slice of bread on both
sides until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pan and cool. Cut it into
1-inch (2.5cm) cubes and set aside.
6 Return the pan to the stove over high heat. Add 2
tablespoons of olive oil and the chiles and sauté for a minute or two. Add the
tomatoes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring
often, until the tomato juices have evaporated and the tomato
starts to color slightly. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture in the
pan.
7 In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts,
garlic, and fried bread until the bread and nuts are coarsely ground. Add the
chile-tomato mixture and process for a minute more. With the machine running,
slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup (240ml) olive oil and process until you have
a smooth puree. Don’t worry, the romesco will “break” or separate into solids
and oil; this is normal. Add the parsley and season to taste with lemon juice
and more salt, if you like. The romesco will keep, tightly sealed in the
refrigerator, for at least a week.
8 To make the burgers, in a dry
sauté pan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat for a few minutes, until the
seeds release their aroma and darken slightly. Pound the seeds in a mortar or
spice grinder until coarsely ground.
9 Return the pan to the stove over high heat for 1
minute. Add the olive oil and shallots. Turn the heat down to medium-low and
cook for a few minutes, stirring, once or twice, until the shallots start to
soften. Add the garlic, thyme, cumin, and sliced chiles. Season with ¼ teaspoon
salt and a few grindings of black pepper, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the
shallots become translucent. Set aside to cool.
10 In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the
ground pork, chorizo, bacon, shallot mixture, and parsley, being careful not to
overmix the meat. Season with the remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt and lots of
freshly ground black pepper. Shape the meat into six 6-ounce (170g) patties to
fit buns. Chill in the refrigerator if not using right away.
11 Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking and
remove the pork burgers from the refrigerator to come to room temperature (if
you made them in advance). When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing,
brush the pork burgers with olive oil and grill them for 3 to 4 minutes on the
first side, until they’re nicely browned. Turn the burgers over, and place a
piece of cheese on each one. Cook another 3 minutes or so, until the pork is
cooked through. (It should still be slightly pink in the center.)
12 Slice the buns in half, brush them with olive oil,
and toast them on the grill, cut side down, for a minute or so, until they’re
lightly browned. Spread both sides of the buns with the aïoli. Place a burger on
the bottom half of each bun, and dollop with a generous amount of romesco. Place
some arugula leaves on top and finish with the top half of the bun. Serve
immediately.
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