BURGER 101

Burger 101 image

Provided by Bobby Flay

Time 30m

Yield 4 burgers

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 thin slices of white American cheese or Homemade Queso, recipe follows
4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
Lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, onion and pickles, BBQ potato chips, Dijon mustard and ketchup, for garnish (if using American cheese; optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed, heated
1 cup grated Monterey Jack from a wedge (not pre-grated)
1 cup grated white sharp cheddar from a wedge (not pre-grated)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Steps:

Sliced pickled jalapenos, crushed tortilla chips and pico de gallo, for garnish (if using Homemade Queso)
Heat your griddle or large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil and let heat until it begins to shimmer.
Shape the ground beef with your hands into 4 round patties about 3/4 inch thick; season each burger on both sides with salt and pepper. Make a divot in the center of each burger. Add the burgers to the griddle or skillet, divot-sides up and cook, flipping once, until brown on both sides and cooked to medium doneness, about 8 minutes, total.
IF USING SLICED CHEESE: Top each burger with 2 slices of the cheese. Carefully, add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet and immediately cover tightly with a lid. If using a griddle, squirt a bit of water from a squeeze bottle then cover 1 burger at a time with a melting dome or metal bowl. Count to 10. Lift the lid or dome. If the cheese is totally melted, place the burgers on the bun bottoms; if not, cover again and count 5 more seconds. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, potato chips, Dijon mustard and ketchup, if desired.
IF USING QUESO SAUCE: Place each burger on a bun bottom and top with a few tablespoons of the queso sauce. Top with the jalapenos, tortilla chips and pico de gallo.
Cover the burgers with the bun tops and serve immediately.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat Add the flour and cook, whisking, until pale blond, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the 2 cups of hot milk, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the raw flour taste has cooked out, about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in all 3 cheeses until smooth. Whisk in more hot milk if the queso is too thick. Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne.