Recipe Background
Burgers are a blank canvas for the culinary world; so many unique flavors can be mixed-and-matched with a juicy beef patty and a fluffy bun. For the true cowboy burger experience, you can't go wrong with Southwest Cheeseburgers. The burgers are as savory as can be, and the garlic-lime mayo helps add to the succulence of each bite, while bringing a little brightness. But it's the grilled chiles that really bring the classic Southwestern heat to each patty, and a little verdancy to the deep beefiness. The grill is blazing a new path to flavor with these Southwest Cheeseburgers.
Burgers are a blank canvas for the culinary world; so many unique flavors can be mixed-and-matched with a juicy beef patty and a fluffy bun. For the true cowboy burger experience, you can't go wrong with Southwest Cheeseburgers. The burgers are as savory as can be, and the garlic-lime mayo helps add to the succulence of each bite, while bringing a little brightness. But it's the grilled chiles that really bring the classic Southwestern heat to each patty, and a little verdancy to the deep beefiness. The grill is blazing a new path to flavor with these Southwest Cheeseburgers.
Ingredients
- 6 poblano or Anaheim chile peppers
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more, to taste, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper plus more, to taste, divided
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 slices Pepper Jack cheese
- 6 potato buns split and toasted
- romaine lettuce leaves to taste, for topping
- red onion to taste, sliced, for topping
Directions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Grill the chiles, turning them frequently, until the skins are completely blackened, about 10 minutes.
- Seal the chiles in a large resealable plastic bag and let them sit for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the peppers from the bag and use a knife to scrape off most of the blackened skin.
- Pull off the stems and slice the chiles in half lengthwise.
- Scrape out the seeds and the membranes.
- Slice the chiles into thick strips.
- Mix the mayonnaise, the garlic, the lime zest, and the lime juice together in a small bowl.
- Season the mayo mixture to taste with the salt and the black pepper.
- Combine the beef, the Worcestershire sauce, the cumin, the cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper in a large bowl.
- Gently but thoroughly, mix the meat mixture with clean hands until well combined.
- Form the meat mixture into six 1-inch-thick patties.
- Season the patties with the salt and the pepper.
- Grill the burgers until well-marked and firm enough to flip, about 3-4 minutes.
- Once flipped, top the burgers with the chile strips and 1 slice of the Pepper Jack cheese.
- Grill until the burgers reach an internal temperature of at least 130 degrees F for medium-rare, about 3-4 minutes. In the last 30 seconds, cover and cook until the cheese melts.
- Spread the garlic mayo on the buns.
- Serve the burgers on the buns topped with the lettuce and the onion.
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