My kids love burgers!
I love this recipe because it’s delicious, easy, and I can prep it early – even a day before – and then bake the foil-wrapped burgers for about fifteen minutes, and suddenly I feel like a hero!
Saving yet another day with an amazing, scrumptious, low-stress dinner. No cape necessary. (But no judgment if you want to wear one while serving.)
Boom.
(adapted from justapinch.com)
INGREDIENTS:
- 12 hamburger buns
- 12 hamburger patties, made, seasoned, and cooked any way you like (I make my own – see bottom for recipe)
- 12-24 slices cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, Pepper Jack… whatever you want!)
- 1 lg onion, sliced
- 1-2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
SUPER SAUCE:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp ketchup or barbecue sauce
- 2-3 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 Tbsp finely diced dill pickle (about 4-5 baby dills, or 2-3 medium pickles) – I add more!
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika (I use smoked paprika)
- dash hot sauce or cayenne powder, optional
Mix together in bowl, stirring well. Set aside if using shortly or refrigerate till ready to use.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare and cook the burger patties till almost done, set aside. (They will continue to cook in oven.)
3. Melt butter (or heat olive oil) in saute pan on stove on med-low heat. Add sliced onions, stir. Cook till softened and golden, about five-ten minutes. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if desired. Set aside.
4. Spread sauce on top and bottom of hamburger buns, then place a slice of cheese on each side. Or only one side, depending on how cheesy you feel.
5. Placed cooked hamburger patty on one side of bun and top with a spoonful of caramelized onion and then the other side of bun.
6. Wrap in foil (I use about 12″ square and wrap on the diagonal, but you do what you want.), and bake in oven for 12-1 5 minutes, till cheese has melted.
7. Serve warm with whatever sides make your heart sing: fries and salad, chips, potato salad, steamed broccoli, sautéed green beans… Go side crazy.
8. Be a hero. I always feel like I’m one to my kids when I serve this meal! They get so happy unwrapping that foil to eat the juicy, cheesy, delicious burgers inside. And I get happy hearing about their feelings of happiness.
Enjoy (the burgers and the compliments)!
*BONUS RECIPE!
HAMBURGER PATTIES A LA MARIA
- 2 lbs ground sirloin or lean ground beef
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal (Don’t judge. I’m trying to stretch my beef to feed my horde. Leave this out, and the egg, if you are a purist and don’t need the extra stretch. Note that you will likely have fewer/thinner patties.)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup diced bacon (optional)
1. Mix all ingredients gently but thoroughly.
2. Divide into twelve equal parts, shape into balls. Gently press into evenly flattish patties with hands, maybe about 1/3 of an inch thick. Make an indentation in the center (this is to help them cook through the middle). I put my finished patties on a baking sheet until I’m ready to cook them.
3. Cook on medium heat on the grill or griddle or skillet till done, turning once, about 2 mins or less each side. (I use my big electric griddle and cook about 8 at a time.)
4. Place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, set aside till assembling hamburgers.