Green Chile Cheeseburger

Green Chile Cheeseburger
4.5 from 2 ratings
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This recipe, courtesy of Aarón Sánchez has grilled onion and grilled chiles to add maximum grilled flavor between the buns. Topped with a mayonnaise mixture that is full of lime zest and crema (or sour cream) and melted pepper jack cheese, this burger doesn’t hold back. It uses traditional Mexican ingredients to make for a truly memorable burger. Recipe by Aarón Sánchez.
Servings
4
servings
Ingredients
  • 3 fresh green chiles (hatch, poblano, or anaheim)
  • 1 vidalia or yellow onion
  • olive oil
  • 2 1/4 pound ground beef (preferably 70 percent lean / 30 percent fat)
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoon mexican crema (or sour cream) 
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest (from about 1 lime)
  • 6 slices monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
  • 6 potato rolls
  • 1 head green lettuce
Directions
  1. Halve the e
  2. Before you make the burgers, ensure that the meat is very cold in the refrigerator. If you’re in a hurry, you can spread it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for 10 or 15 minutes, just until it’s well chilled all the way through.
  3. Taking care not to over-handle the meat, shape it into 6-ounce patties that are a little wider than the buns. Use your fingers to press a slight indentation in the center. Set the formed patties aside to let them come to room temperature, and then brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Prepare your grill so there’s a medium-high flame on one side and low heat on the other side. Clean the grate and let it get warm for at least 5 minutes.
  5. Grill the echils once they’re slightly blistered and charred, approximately 10-15 minutes, and repeat on the other side. The onions are ready to flip when they have distinct grill marks and are just beginning to soften but still have some crunch, 4 to 5 minutes; if they’re not held together with skewers, take care as you flip so they don’t slip through the grates. Remove onions from the grill and set aside. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, rinse them under water to peel away their papery charred skin, pat them dry, and julienne. Set aside.
  6. Grill the burgers, indentation side up, over a medium-high flame. Cook undisturbed for at least 4 minutes; check the bottoms by carefully lifting up an edge with your spatula, and flip when you see good grill marks. While the burgers are cooking, in a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, and lime zest. Set aside.
  7. Top each patty with a big spoonful of the es, then blanket them with a slice of cheese and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired doneness — a medium-rare burger will have just a little ‘give’ if you press it with your finger, while a medium burger will be pretty firm. If the outsides are seared before the inside is cooked through, move the patties so they’re just outside the flame to slow their cooking. Once they’re done, move them to the coolest part of your grill to keep them warm.
  8. Lightly toast your buns on the grill, over indirect heat, for 1 to 2 minutes.
  9. To assemble the burgers, spread a layer of the crema mixture on both buns. Starting with the bottom bun, add the patty, grilled onions, and lettuce and top with the other bun. Serve immediately.
  10. — The ground beef should be cold prior to shaping the patties so that the fat does not melt while shaping, ensuring proper shape.
  11. — If you’ve got metal skewers, it doesn’t hurt to stick one through the onion slices to hold all the layers intact, but they’re not necessary.
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