California Style Cheeseburger

The simplest of patties topped with a perfectly balanced combination of spicy, sweet, crunchy, and creamy.

Makes 2 burgers

3/4 lb ground grass fed beef
2 slices sharp cheddar
1 white onion
1 jalapeño
1/2 large avocado, or 1 small avocado
3 tbsp chipotle mayo
2 good quality buns
2 tbsp butter
Salt

TL;DR

• Take meat and cheese out of the fridge 30-45 minutes ahead of cooking

• Preheat castiron pan and castiron grill on stove, over medium heat

• Slice white onion into 1/2-3/4in thick rounds

• De-seed Jalapeno and slice into 1/4 in rings

• Grill outer onion rings and jalapeno slices until charred

• Cut avocado into slices

• Divide meat in half and shape into burgers using a ring mold. Salt top side.

• Sear in castiron pan for around 90 seconds on first side and flip. Salt second side.

• Place slice of cheese on burgers and cook for around 90 seconds more

• Cut center slice out of bun, butter both sides and toast on grill pan

• Spread buns with chipotle mayo

• Stack; bun, mayo, burger, cheese, jalapeno, onion, avocado, mayo bun

The Deets

We’ve always believed in a no-filler-just-meat burger, but we used to shape it into a plump sorta patty between our hands… until we read A Burger to Believe In by Chris Kronner and learned the magical trick of the ring mold! Shaping your burger into a mold gives you nice sharp corners that are not only visually enjoyable, but also very satisfying to create. 

Other than that element of preciousness with the mold, this patty is the epitome of simple; no fillers, nothing mixed in, just a big lump of liberally salted rare meat, with a nicely charred exterior.

Take your 3/4 lb ground grass fed beef and 2 slices sharp cheddar out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for 30-45 minutes before cooking. I cannot stress this enough. If you forgot, just push dinner by 30 minutes and have a cocktail. Its important. 

Place a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat on one burner, and a grill pan over medium heat on another. 

Slice your 1 white onion into 1/2-3/4in thick rounds and grab the two largest in diameter (from the widest part of the onion). Remove the center rings from these rounds, so you just have the 2-3 outer rings still stuck wedged inside one another. 

Cut the end off your 1 jalapeño with a paring knife and then run the knife around the inside to dislodge the seed and pith. Holding the pepper over the trash can or a little bowl shake and gently squeeze it to dump out all the seeds and pith without having to touch it and risk “pepper-eye” (that’s when you touch a hot pepper and then touch your eye and then deeply regret not wearing gloves). Slice the seeded Jalapeño into 1/4in rings.

Halve your avocado, scoop the flesh out of the side without the pit, all in one piece, and cut it into 1/4in thick slices, lengthwise. (each burger only needs 1/4 avocado so if you are just making 2 burgers, pop the leftover 1/2 avocado onto the side salad or something)

Place your sets of onion rings, and your jalapeño slices on the grill pan and cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until they have softened and gained visible grill marks. Flip and repeat. 

Divide your meat into two lumps and use your hands to press it into your ring mold. Remove the mold and form the other patty. Salt the top side liberally and pop the patties onto your very hot cast iron pan, salted side down. There should be a big sizzle. Salt the now exposed side. 

When you start to see the cooked coloration creeping up the side of the burger (about 90 seconds), use your spatula to lift an edge and check the char. If there is a good amount of crusty browning, flip it over. If not crank the heat until there is, and then flip. 

Place your slice of cheese on top of the patty and let it go for around 90 more seconds, until the cheese is melty and the bottom is also charred. 

Meanwhile, take your bun and cut a 1/2 inch slice out of the center. Too much bun is crappy and overwhelms your burger. Save the centers to make the perfect light-as-air croutons or a grilled cheese.

Butter both sides of both your buns (1 tbsp butter per bun) and place them on the grill pan as well, until they are warm and toasted. Both these bun tricks are courtesy of Mr. Kronner as well. He really knows his burgers. Get the book.

Then spread both sides of your buns with chipotle mayo (about 3tbsp total). You can mix some canned chipotles with mayonnaise, but honestly, Sir Kensington’s Chipotle Mayo is perfect and makes it super easy. 

Remove your burgers from the heat and place them on the bottom bun. Then lay the jalapeños onto the cheese, the onion on top, and the avocado over that. The fun part of this build is, once you pick up the burger to take a bite, the onion kind of holds on to the avocado and keeps it from slipping out the side. Form and function. 

And just like that, in 20 minutes or less, you have yourself a restaurant quality burger, no fuss, no filler, just a couple cast iron pans doing their best work.