July Fourth calls for burgers and hot dogs
The Fourth of July is coming up and for a lot of people that
means outdoor meals with family and friends. The most traditional
foods cooked on the holiday are hotdogs and hamburgers. Growing up,
that’s what we did for most of our backyard cookouts.
Burgers and hot dogs are still some of my favorite things to
cook on the grill, mostly because they cook up so quickly and there
are so many different ways to serve them. For both, the easiest way
to change up the flavors is by using different kinds of buns or
toppings.
July Fourth calls for burgers and hot dogs
The Fourth of July is coming up and for a lot of people that means outdoor meals with family and friends. The most traditional foods cooked on the holiday are hotdogs and hamburgers. Growing up, that’s what we did for most of our backyard cookouts.
Burgers and hot dogs are still some of my favorite things to cook on the grill, mostly because they cook up so quickly and there are so many different ways to serve them. For both, the easiest way to change up the flavors is by using different kinds of buns or toppings.
I had some mushrooms and shallots from the farmers market so I decided to come up with a burger recipe that would incorporate some Italian flavors. The result is a garlic balsamic burger that is served on garlic ciabatta bread and topped with sauteed vegetables instead of the traditional condiments.
For the hot dogs, I stuck with the classic condiments though the recipe below for chili cheese dog is a great way to add a little to the perfect dog. We found some low-calorie wheat buns that tasted just fine and allowed the hot dog and topping flavor to be the center piece of the meal. As always, I used Nathan’s Famous.
Whatever is on the menu for the holiday weekend, enjoy.
Garlic balsamic burgers
1 lb. ground beef
6 cloves of garlic, minced (divided evenly into three piles)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. of Italian seasoning (reserve 2 tsp.)
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
2-3 shallots, sliced thinly
1 sweet onion, sliced
2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp. of butter, softened
4 ciabatta rolls, cut in half lengthwise
For charcoal grill, prepare the coals and allow to burn down for about 30 minutes. For gas, heat to medium high.
In the meantime, mix the ground beef, a third of the garlic, the Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. of the Italian seasoning until combined. Do not over mix. Divide the mixture into four hamburger patties. Set aside.
Combine the softened butter with a third of the garlic and the remaining Italian seasoning. Add garlic powder for more garlicky flavor.
Toss the shallots, mushrooms, garlic and onions in balsamic vinegar.
When the grill is ready, place the burgers over the coals. The burgers should cook up in about four minutes per side – cook longer for well done burgers. While the burgers are cooking, place the ciabatta bread along the edges of the grill, over indirect heat. Turn several times until the butter is melted and the bread is crispy on the outside. The bread should take about six minutes, depending on the heat of the grill.
To cook the vegetables, use a grill pan that will allow the flame-grilled flavor to get to the mushrooms, shallots and onions. Those without a grill pan, can put the vegetables in aluminum foil and cook them that way, though the charcoal flavor will not be as strong. The vegetables can also be sauteed on the stove top. The vegetables will take about 10 minutes to cook.
After everything is cooked, use the ciabatta garlic bread as a bun, topping the hamburger patty with the vegetable mixture. Add other condiments as desired.
Chili cheese dogs
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen
For the Texas-Style Chili:
3 lbs. ground chuck
1 lb.hot bulk sausage
3 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. chili powder
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
2 (28-oz.) cans whole tomatoes, chopped
3 (16-oz.) cans kidney beans
4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
1 c. grated Cheddar
Using a Dutch oven, combine the ground chuck, sausage, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat is browned, stirring the meat to break it up as it cooks. Drain the pan drippings. Stir in the chili powder, flour, sugar, oregano, salt, and stir well. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and beans, and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill. Butterfly, or gently slice hot dogs lengthwise, making sure not to cut all the way through. Grill butterflied hot dogs until done, approximately 5 minutes. Place the buns on the grill to warm them. Place hot dogs in the bun. Put the hot dog on the plate with split side facing up. Ladle chili over and top with cheese.
