Earlier this week I grilled a sriracha sauced up burger. The burger was not horrible, yet only earned a 4 out of 10 on my Soiled Burger Project taste scale. I lamented the “shoulda” and “coulda” things about said burger and planned to make it again with said changes at a later date. Well, that later date was Thursday and it was a complete and utter tasteless failure.
I made all the changes I had noted: added diced green chilis and jalapeno peppers, switched from 85/15 beef to ground turkey, used Pepper Jack cheese and topped it with some Sriracha Sauce Mayo. These were all things that I really thought would kick it up a notch and make it a keeper… or at least save it. I was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. It was HORRIBLE and tasted like chili pepper flavored ass sweat. The Soiled Sriracha Burger went from a 4 on the Soiled Burger Project taste scale to an even zero. I almost threw it straight in the garbage, but I was starving, so I ate it and hoped that I wouldn’t throw it back up later. I am shelving that burger indefinitely.
I had no plan for a burger today, nor did I have any plan on blogging about a burger today (thus my iPhone pics), especially since it pissed down rain all day here in Michiganderburgh today. Then lunch time rolled around and I was jonzing for a burger. I went old school (last week) and busted out Soiled Burger 01. Only this time I utilized my grandmother’s secret kitchen weapon: a cast iron skillet.
I am not a fan of stove top burgers and always feel that I am one step way from boiling hot dogs (another one of my grandmother’s kitchen habits, but one that I avoid every chance I get) when I do.
Having said that, I recently read a piece about burgers in which Bobby Flay (the boiled hot dog of celebrity chefs in my opinion) talked about using a cast iron skillet and at one point adding a bit of water, covering the skillet and letting the steam help cook the burger and melt the cheese. I am not disciple of Flay, but with the rain continuing to fall, I gave it a go.
I did everything that I did the first time I made Burger 01, only used a cast iron skillet. I didn’t add any oil. I just turned the burner on high and got the skillet nice and hot, plopped the patty in and let it sizzle in its own fat for about 3 minutes on each side (give or take a few). With about a minute to go I topped with cheddar cheese, added about a 1/4 cup of water (or less) to the pan, covered immediately and finished out the frying process.
I gotta tell you, it turned out damn good! In fact, it took the already pretty dam good burger from an already impressive 8 on the taste scale to a full on 10/10. I will no longer shun the cast iron skillet for burger making. I will however shun diced green chilis and jalapeno peppers, ground turkey, Pepper Jack cheese and Sriracha Sauce Mayo.
I swear, no more food talk until next week. I FINALLY have plans to ride tomorrow and have my spine crossed that my back feels OK.