French Burgers Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the caramelized onions: Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Reserve the cast-iron pan.
• For the beef broth: Combine the beef broth, thyme and some salt and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the broth is warmed through and begins to take on the thyme flavor, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the thyme and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and top with more thyme leaves. Keep warm.
• For the burgers: Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Shape each portion with your hands into a rectangular patty to match the shape of the hoagie rolls, about 3/4 inches thick. Sprinkle both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
• Place the hoagie rolls cut-side up on a baking sheet, brush the cut sides with some canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Heat the same cast-iron pan over high heat. Add the canola oil and let heat until it begins to shimmer. Put the burgers in the pan and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium doneness, about 8 minutes total.
• Top each burger with 2 slices of cheese. Carefully add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and immediately cover tightly with a lid. (If using a griddle, do one at a time and use a sandwich dome or stainless-steel bowl to cover.) Count to 10. Lift lid or dome to make sure that the cheese is totally melted (if not, cover again and count 5 seconds longer.)
• Place the burgers on the bottom rolls and top with a large spoonful of the caramelized onions and the top rolls. Serve with the warm beef broth on the side for dipping.

Steps:

• For the onion jam: Heat a large saute pan, then toss in the onion and garlic slices with 2 tablespoons oil and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the Marsala, brown sugar and mustard and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not rush this step, because properly caramelized onions make this burger top-notch!) Stir in the vinegar and cook to blend in, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• For the burgers: In a medium bowl, break up the meat and spread it up on the sides of the bowl so that the seasoning really permeates. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Gently mix in the Marsala, soy sauce and Worcestershire. Do not overmix. (The more you work the meat, the tougher the burger.) Form the meat into 4 even patties that are about 3/4-inch thick and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Use a spoon to gently scoop out a little meat and make a hole or pocket in the center of each patty that does not go all the way through to the bottom. Place about 1/4 cup Gruyere in the hole of each patty. Flatten the piece of meat you scooped out and press it over the cheese so that it's hidden in the middle of the patty. Turn the patty on the other side that it is weighing down on the seam. Repeat with the remaining patties. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle the patties lightly with salt. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, arrange the patties in a single layer, cheese-pocket-side down, at a distance from one another. Cook the patties, undisturbed, until the bottom browns, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the patties on their other sides and let the bottoms brown again, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the stock to the skillet and cover. Cook on low heat until the patties are cooked through, 8 to 10 additional minutes. Remove the cover, shut off the heat under the skillet and let the patties rest with the heat off.
• Arrange the bun halves in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle each bun half with about 1/4 cup Gruyere. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and toast until the buns are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the bun bottoms on a flat surface. Mix the onion jam and remaining cup Gruyere into the liquid in the skillet. Taste for seasoning. Spoon some of the onions and liquid on each bun bottom and top with the patties and more onions. Top with a few slices of pickle and season the bun tops with a pinch of salt. Close the burgers and serve.

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until some of the fat has rendered and the bacon is just starting to crisp, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onion, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very crisp and the onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. If the pan is getting too dark, add 2 tablespoons of water and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan; continue to cook until all the water has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, whole-grain mustard and Dijon in a small bowl. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter on the inside of each bun. Shape the ground beef into four 6-ounce patties, each about 1/2 inch thick. Use your thumb to make a deep depression in the center of each patty. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a griddle (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat and grease with some butter. Place the buttered buns on the griddle and cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Move to a cutting board. Place the burgers on the griddle and cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms are well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the burgers and top with 1/2 cup of cheese each. It is ok if it spills over -- it will get crispy that way. Cover with a large heat-proof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese is completely melted and starting to crisp on the griddle, about 2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the edges of the cheese are crispy, about 2 minutes. (This timing should result in medium-rare to medium burgers.) Transfer to the bottom buns.
• Top the burgers with the caramelized onions and bacon. Spread the Dijonnaise on each top bun, then sandwich together and serve.

Steps:

• Cook minced onion slowly for 10 minutes in butter, until tender, but not brown. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, additional butter, and seasonings to the onions and beat just until combined. Form into 4 patties, 3/4 inch thick. Cover with wax paper and chill several hours. Just before cooking the patties, gently roll them in the flour. In a large, heavy frying pan, melt butter and oil, bring to a moderately high temperature and add patties. Sear them until they're brown on both sides, then reduce heat until they're done to your liking. This usually takes longer than I think, about 15 minutes. Remove patties to a heated oven. Pour fat out of the pan and add sherry (or other wine), scraping up the pan juices, until it's reduced to a thick syrup. Take off the heat and add the butter (allow butter to melt) and serve in a small pitcher to pour over the patties. I often poke holes in the top of each patty (with a fork) so the sauce will ooze down into the meat. Note: the original recipe calls for red wine, white wine, vermouth or beef stock for the sauce. You can use either red wine, sherry or light port or even Madeira.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 15 more minutes. Add the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and simmer until the onion is tender and the liquid is almost evaporated, 8 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Mix the beef, onion powder and the remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce in a bowl with your hands. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties and place on a broiler pan. Make an indentation in the center of each with your thumb; season the patties with salt. Broil, turning once, 5 minutes.
• Place the buns cut-side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with both cheeses and broil until melted, about 1 minute. Spread mustard on the buns; sandwich with lettuce, the burgers and caramelized onion. Serve with potato chips.

Steps:

• Put the butter and oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 15 mins or until golden and sticky. Stir through the light brown soft sugar, cider vinegar and wholegrain mustard. Heat the grill to medium-high. Put the beef burgers on a baking sheet and grill on each side for 5-8 mins or until cooked through. For the last minute, top the burgers with the gruyère and grill until bubbling and melted. Lightly toast the brioche buns. Top the buns with the burgers, then the sticky onions and divide the watercress between each.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Mix together the ground beef and onion soup mix in a large skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Remove from heat. Stir the mayonnaise and Cheddar cheese into the ground beef mixture.
• Lay the bottoms of the dinner rolls on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the cheese and beef mixture on the bottom half of each roll. Replace the tops. Cover with another sheet of aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the burgers are heated through and cheese melts, about 30 minutes. Serve with sliced pickles.