The Ultimate Burger on the Grill

What do you think of when someone mentions they are making “burgers on the grill”? For me, it brings back memories of my childhood summers - long lazy days riding bikes, sipping Slurpies, and playing in the sun; staying up late on warm nights and catching fireflies in a jar; no school for months on end; and dinners out on our picnic table in the back yard with my dad manning the grill and the smell of sizzling burgers wafting in the air. Here’s my recipe for the quintessential summer meal – burgers on the grill!

Summer and burgers on the grill go hand-in-hand. I’m not sure I’ve ever attended a Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day get together without grilled burgers (and hot dogs!) being on the menu. I actually made my first hamburger when I was in college in St. Paul, MN. I really never cooked much back then, except to make two dishes, usually for my brothers or sister who lived nearby at the time – hamburger helper casserole, and my (now) famous “burgers that grow”. My burgers were huge and included Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix in them which is what made them expand when they cooked on the skillet.

So, what did I eat during the four years I was in college when I wasn’t making Hamburger Helper casserole or burgers that grow? Well, it wasn’t pretty! Most of my meals were enjoyed at the cafeteria and café for students at Bethel College. But we also went out to eat – A LOT! Our favorite late-night haunts included White Castle for a 10-pack of sliders and nails (fries), Perkins for any breakfast and fantastic pies, and Louie’s Best Steak House for a $6.99 steak with baked potato (and plenty of diarrhea about an hour later, like clockwork!). Also, can’t forget Pannekoeken Huis Restaurant for huge Swedish pancakes (always at midnight), and Godfather’s Pizza (a weekly tradition). In fact, one of my proudest moments was when my roommate, Scott Williamson, and I, got an extra-large everything Godfather’s Pizza and a Perkins French Silk Pie, divided both in half, and proceeded to eat everything in one sitting. Man vs. Food, and Man won!!!

Anywhoo, I have refined my burger recipe many times since my college days and wanted to share it with you! So, what makes these burgers so special? First, the Lipton Onion Soup Mix really is a game changer and keeps the burgers moist and juicy while they are grilling. Second, I add Worcestershire sauce for a nice umami boost which deepens the flavor of the meat. And, speaking of the meat – I grind my own beef mix for the freshest hamburger possible. I usually choose two different cuts based on what looks best in the store – hangar steak, brisket, rib eye, skirt steak – anything with a lot of fat in it! Finally, my burgers are topped with bacon, cheese (only American cheese will do here!), grilled onions, and dill pickles. I’ll let you decide what condiments to put on yours, but my burger always has French’s Yellow Mustard and sometimes BBQ sauce as well.

Once you try these burgers, you’ll never go back! I’ve also included Laurie’s and my recipe for quick and easy herb-seasoned French fries to serve with the burgers. Happy grilling and let me know how they turn out for you!

The Ultimate Burger on the Grill (Serves 4)

These burgers are big, juicy, messy, and absolutely delicious! The key here is to select high fat cuts of beef for grinding yourself (or selecting 80 or 85 percent lean ground beef if you don’t want to grind your own), liberally season the beef before forming the patties (I use Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix to do the job) and grilling the onions to top off the burger. Serve with a nice hard cider or pale ale to wash it all down!

Ingredients

2 lb. of a mix of high-fat cuts of beef (like brisket, ribeye steak, or skirt steak), or alternatively 80/85 percent lean ground beef

1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix

3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, sliced into four ¼-inch thick slices

6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

8 slices cooked thick-cut bacon (we like Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon)

8 slices Kraft American Cheese Singles

Sliced dill pickles (we like Grillo’s Pickle Sandwich Makers pickles)

4 large hamburger buns (our favorite is Pepperidge Farms Farmhouse Rustic Potato Hearty Buns)

4 tbsp. salted butter

Condiments of choice (ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, etc.)

Any other toppers you like (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.)

Directions

Grind the beef to a medium grind and place in a large bowl (or alternatively, place your store-bought ground beef into a large bowl). Add the soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the ground beef and mix gently with your hands to combine (don’t overmix to ensure the right texture for your burgers – you want your patties to just hold together when you form them instead of being dense hockey pucks!). Form the beef into four ½-lb. patties about ¾-inch thick each and place on a wax paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Press your thumb into the middle of each patty (about halfway through) to form an indent (this will help keep the burgers flat while they are grilling) and then refrigerate until ready to grill (you can make these a few hours ahead of grilling if you’d like).

Heat the grill by turning all the burners on high for 15 minutes with the grill cover closed. Meanwhile, rub both sides of each beef patty with 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil, and butter each side of the rolls. Rub each of the onion slices with ½ tbsp. of oil and sprinkle each with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Once the grill is ready, place the onion slices on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning a few times to ensure even cooking, until onions are soft and slightly browned. Remove from the grill and set aside.

Turn the burners down to medium-high and place the patties on one side of the grill and the rolls, buttered side down, on the other side of the grill. Close the grill cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes, checking the rolls every so often to make sure they don’t burn. Remove the toasted buns and set aside. Flip the patties and top each with a slice of grilled onion, two slices of bacon, and two slices of cheese. Close the grill cover to finish cooking the burgers and melt the cheese – cook for another 3-4 minutes to desired doneness.

Remove the burgers from the grill. Top with the pickles, your favorite condiments, and any other toppings you’d like.

Herb-Seasoned French Fries (Serves 4)

This quick-and-easy recipe for herb-seasoned fries uses store-bought frozen fries and a homemade seasoning mix to amp up the flavors and create crispy and tasty French fries. These are perfect served with the Ultimate Burger on the Grill!

Ingredients

1 16-oz. bag of frozen French fries (our favorite is Alexia Organic Yukon Gold Fries with Sea Salt)

1 ½ tsp. minced Italian parsley

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. Lawry's Seasoning Salt

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the first six ingredients into a small bowl.

Cook the French fries following the package instructions. Remove from the oven and place the fries in a bowl. Sprinkle the herb seasoning mix over the fries along with the olive oil – toss with your hands gently to combine. Serve immediately.