Juicy Burgers on Toasted Buns

If you don’t have a grill, don’t worry. You can get a similar “cooked on an open flame” effect by broiling these in the oven.

MAKES: 2 large burgers or 4 smaller burger

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground beef (80-to-20 meat-to-fat ratio—sorry, but leaner just won’t do!)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 to 4 pats (½ tablespoon each) butter
• 2 to 4 thin square slices Cheddar or Swiss cheese (optional)
• 2 to 4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Gently mix the ground beef with salt, pepper, cumin, shallot, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl, being careful not to overwork the meat.
2. Divide the mixture into 2 balls (or 4 smaller balls) and flatten them into patties.
3. Create a depression in the top of each patty with your thumbs and add a pat of butter to each one. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler or grill. If broiling, place the patties on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil for about 7 minutes on one side. Flip and cook for about 4 minutes longer, depending on how well done you like them. If grilling, add the patties to the grill rack and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until charred, about 7 minutes. If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.
5. Place the burgers on the buns and add your favorite toppings. Close the burgers and serve.

VARIATION:

TURKEY BURGERS

• 1 pound ground turkey
• Generous pinch of salt
• Multiple grinds of pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To make turkey burgers, substitute ground turkey (the fattiest available) for the ground beef.
2. Reduce the cumin to ½ teaspoon, and replace the Worcestershire sauce with 1 tablespoon each minced fresh oregano and cilantro. If broiling, start watching the burgers after 5 minutes, turning
   them as soon as they are well browned.
3. Before serving, cut into each burger to ensure that it is properly cooked through.

TIP:

• Whether turkey or beef, don’t overhandle the meat—you want to leave pockets of air in the patties for the flavorful juices to collect.