Not Another Burger!

Since we've been vacationing in the Colorado mountains where my husband bikes 4-5 hours a day and has already logged over 2000 miles, it appears all he's in the mood to eat is meat.  I love meat but just can't eat it more than once a week.

So when he asked me to make a burger the other night before leaving to come home that next day, I said fine but, I wasn't going to have one.  I decided I'd pick up a large portobello mushroom, a red pepper, lettuce, tomatoes and of course some whole wheat buns to put the burgers on.

I marinated my mushroom in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh minced garlic and red pepper (cut in 1/2 and seeded), then put all into a zip lock baggie.  Prior to doing that I cleaned the mushroom gills. I removed any dirt or debris that might have lodged itself in them.

Note: When cleaning mushrooms just use a damp paper towel.  Never wash with water since mushrooms will soak the water up like a sponge.  Just wet a paper towel and wipe the dirt off. 

After the veggies had marinated for about 1/2 an hour, I placed the mushroom and red pepper on the grill, skin side down.  Once both were cooked to my liking I removed them from the grill and placed them on the bun with lettuce and tomatoes.

In addition, I decided since I had some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, I thought I'd chop that up fine and add it to some fat free mayo that I had, and combined them.  It made a delicious dressing to put on my veggie burger and to my surprise my husband loved it as well on his burgers.  It had a nice kick to it!  Yes he ate several burgers.  I don't know how he does it and stays so skinny but, I suppose with all the miles he's logged on his bike he needs lots of protein and his protein of choice is red meat. 

Our meal was delightful, along with some iced cold watermelon that we both love, baked fries and homemade oil and vinegar cole slaw. 

A simple and delightful meal. Oh and for dessert I went all out (just kidding) and we had Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.  This meal couldn't have been easier and it was scrumptious!

What's your favorite burger?  I also adore salmon burgers.  Please share your recipe.  You can never have too many burger recipes!

Holiday Grilling Tips!

Memorial Day is just days away and traditionally starts off the grilling season.  With so much volatile weather I hope everyone gets the chance to celebrate it outdoors with family and friends.

Many of us will be grilling hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken and although you've probably been grilling these for years do you really know the best way?  Is your food juicy or dry?

Here are some tips to insure you have perfectly grilled hamburgers:

• For the most tender and flavorful burgers get the freshest meat.  In fact, have your butcher grind you a combination of brisket and chuck about 45-55% ratio.  Brisket provides the richness while the chuck, a rich beefy flavor.
• Keep the fat content at 22% for the best taste.  Although this is higher than the leanest beef you can pick up at the stores it will provide you with superior burgers, not dry, tasteless ones.
• Make your patties at least 1 inch thick and at least 1 inch larger in diameter than the bun.  This way, when the burger cooks down, it will end up being about the same size as your bun.
• When forming the burgers, work quickly and with a light touch, packing the meat as loosely as possible.  You will get a lighter texture and less shrinkage if you don't pack the meat.
• Make a slight depression in the center of  each patty.  Burgers shrink more at the edges than in the center, so the indentation in the center will give you a patty of a more even thickness when the meat is cooked.  (Have you ever wondered why the centers take that much longer than the rest of the burger?  This is why, so don't forget to slightly press in the center of the raw burger with your thumb. It will make all the difference).
• Store prepped burgers in a single layer in the refrigerator and salt and pepper the tops just before placing on the grill and the other side once flipped.
• Use a spatula to flip the burgers, but never, ever press the tops with the spatula.  Pressing the burgers serves only to squeeze out the juices, leaving you with a dry burger. Only turn the burgers once.  This give you the best crust.
• For a rare burger cook 4 1/2 to 5 minutes; for medium-rare 6-7 minutes; and for the safest burger cook to medium for about 8-9 minutes total.  However, grass-fed beef  poses less risk of bacterial contamination and is healthier for the planet if you can find it.  
• For the best accuracy, check your burgers with an instant read thermometer for an internal temperature of 160 degrees.   
• Let burgers rest for 2 minutes to allow the juices to relax and disperse.
• If you don't want to go to the trouble of having your butcher grind the meat for you or doing it yourself, then pick up some KOBE burgers, they're amazing and delicious!  They can be found at fine grocery stores everywhere.

In addition to grilling burgers here is a list of the recommended internal temperatures for various meats.  Using an instant read thermometer will give you an accurate reading however, remember, DO NOT leave your instant read thermometer in the grill or oven.  Take it out after checking the internal temperatures.

USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures:

Steaks & Roasts - 145 °F

Fish - 145 °F

Pork - 160 °F

Ground Beef - 160 °F

Egg Dishes - 160 °F

Chicken Breasts - 165 °F

Whole Poultry - 165 °F

 

For tips on How to Grill Perfect Chicken view a previous blog post.

Wishing you a safe and fantastic Memorial Day with great food and friends!

Happy Grilling!

Labor Day dishes

Labor Day is in just 5 days. If you're like me you've already been thinking for weeks about what to serve, at what could possibly be the last big BBQ of the season. Of course you know the usual standard fare is hot dogs, hamburgers and grilled chicken. That's always a sure thing that most people will like. However, did you ever consider changing it up a bit?

If you get my monthly newsletter then today you received it with the recipe for my Southwestern Fish or Fish Tacos which would definitely be something different to serve.

But if you don't get my newsletter or don't like fish how about doing different types of burgers?

You could do:
hamburgers
salmon burgers
turkey burgers
veggie burgers and even
chicken burgers.

Chicken burgers are what I served for dinner this evening and they are so delcious and moist. They're simple to prepare and doctor up by adding some diced celery, onions, egg, bbq sauce to the mix and even some fresh bread crumbs. Throw those on the grill and they're fantastic and low cal.

Add some homemade baked beans and some fresh fruit along with a salad or veggie dip and your good to go.

I did a burger party last year and it was a HUGE hit. Everyone was so excited, they didn't know which one to try first.

As an added bonus, if you decide to make chicken burgers or any type of burger, try making this sauce to go on your burger instead of the usual ketchup. It's incredibly good!

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

1 can (16oz) Whole berry Cranberry Sauce
1 cup BBQ sauce

Blend together and add to the tops of your burgers. Simple and delicious! Your guests will be asking where they can purchase that wonderful sauce.

I hope you have a fun and safe holiday!