Who wants plain old burgers ?

OK, OK, so you just want some burgers for your Memorial Day picnic.  Burgers are great, but they don't have to be boring.  Kick your burgers up a notch with one of these recipes.

When I was a kid I had an uncle who was quite successful.  He was also into grilling before it was all the rage.  He was the first person I ever knew who had a Weber Kettle.  Charcoal of course, in those days.  No such thing as a gas grill then. My uncle gave us a Weber one year and when he came to town, he would go to the local grocery and buy 1 1/2" thick porterhouses for the grill or he would make great thick and juicy hamburgers.  For most kids my age, Mickey Mantle or Stan Musial were their hero's.  I wanted to grow up like my Uncle and be able to go to the store and buy those big porterhouses or make those hamburgers. Here is my rendition of Uncle Roland's burgers. 

Ingredients: (Makes 6-8 burgers)

Burgers:
2 Lbs. ground round - I like the 85% lean for burgers
1/2 of a large sweet onion diced
10-12 Baby Bella mushrooms cut into 1/8 inch dice
2 eggs
1/4 cup oatmeal
Salt and pepper

Toppings:
2 large sweet onions - sliced thinly
4 TBSP Butter - Divided
2 TBSP Olive Oil
8 Oz. Baby Bella  mushrooms - stems removed and sliced
Red pepper flakes
Salt
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 Slices Bacon - cooked crisp and cut in two.

Preparation:

In a large bowl mix all burger ingredients with your hands, until the egg is thoroughly spread into the meat.  The egg and oatmeal will hold your burgers together better on the grill. Form into patties.  I like to make about three patties per pound but you can do four if you like the burgers thinner. Hold the burgers in the fridge.  Preheat your grill on high heat.

In the meantime, melt 2 TBSP of the butter and one TBSP of the olive oil in a large skillet. (cast iron works great for this)  Add the sliced onions.  Season with salt, pepper and the red pepper flakes to taste. Sauté onions until straw colored and tender.  They should be nice and caramelized.  In another skillet melt remaining butter with the remaining oil, and sauté the sliced mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Sear burgers on both sides on the hot grill.  Reduce heat and grill to desired level of doneness.  Just before taking off of the grill add the Swiss cheese to each burger, and leave on the grill until the cheese starts to melt.  Serve hot, with the caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and bacon slices offered as additional toppings.  The mushrooms and onions cooked in the burgers give them a great flavor and keep the meat moist. 

Here is a second recipe that came from a Southern Living magazine years ago.  It is another take on a burger that is interesting and different.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 green onions - thinly sliced
2 LBS. Ground Beef
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup jalapeno jelly
8 hamburger buns
Toppings: grilled sweet onion slices and grilled pineapple slices

Preparation:
Stir together first six ingredients; pour into a shallow baking dish.
Shape beef into patties; place into the marinade in a single layer, turning to coat both sides.  Cover and marinate four hours in the fridge.  Drain reserving marinade.  Grill patties over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side or until they are at your desired degree of doneness, brushing several times with the marinade. Grill onion slices and pineapple slices along with the burgers.  Stir together chili sauce and jalapeno jelly.  Serve burgers on buns with chili sauce mixture and other toppings. 

Hope you have a great Memorial Day, and don't forget to pause and reflect on those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.