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Craving a burger? Here are some Las Vegans’ favorite recipes
Mount Charleston may have gotten snow this week, but there’s no mistaking that spring is here and summer won’t be far behind. It’s officially grilling season — and burger season. This is, after all, National Burger Month, and Tuesday is National Burger Day.
In celebration, we asked readers to submit their favorite burger recipes, and got a couple of dozen replies. Most mixed interesting ingredients into the meat, some used turkey, one incorporated mushrooms and one is in honor of the Vegas Golden Knights which — for now, at least — is our favorite hometown pro team, and its much-heralded goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury.
As announced, we held a drawing of the entries, with the winner to get a $100 Visa gift card. That goes to Kaelyn Cheney of Las Vegas.
And here are 10 of the recipes entered, chosen for originality, completeness — and because we could imagine them sizzling on our grills this Memorial Day weekend.
Wild Bill’s Golden Burger
1 clove garlic, chopped (or more if you love garlic)
1½ pounds ground beef
1 egg
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
Salt and pepper to taste
Pineapple rings
Brown sugar
Butter
6 onion rolls
Garlic powder
Sliced American cheese
Thinly sliced jalapeno peppers
Smoky barbecue sauce
Sliced sweet onion, such as Walla Walla or Vidalia
Cole slaw (optional)
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Mix the first five ingredients (through salt and pepper), form into patties and throw those “pucks” on the grill and cook to your liking.
While the burgers are cooking, put the golden pineapple slices on the grill or under the oven broiler and cook until tender and lightly browned. When almost done, top with brown sugar and cook some more until the sugar bubbles a bit.
Butter the inside of the onion rolls, sprinkle with garlic powder and put butter side up under the oven broiler until lightly browned.
When burgers are almost done, throw on a slice of American cheese, let it melt a bit, and press jalapeno slices onto the cheese (do not remove the jalapeno seeds if you like spicy!). Put burgers on buns, pour a bit of smoky barbecue sauce on, then put on onion slices and lastly the pineapple. If you are feeling adventurous, put some slaw on top of that and then top with bun.
If your day has had you in a “fleury” of emotions, now is the time to sit down with Wild Bill’s Golden Burger, pop open a 7Five beer and relax for the knight!
Serves 6.
— Recipe from Gretchen Malessa of Las Vegas
Chenes Burgers
2 pounds ground beef
2 onions, diced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup ketchup (Heinz preferred)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon salt
8 poppyseed buns
Dill pickles
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Mix first seven ingredients (through salt) and form into eight patties. Grill over medium heat until desired doneness. Serve on buns with pickles.
Serves 8.
— Recipe from Kaelyn Cheney of Las Vegas
Bob’s Burgers
1 pound ground beef
2 slices onion, finely chopped
Dollop of barbecue sauce
Garlic powder to taste
4 eggs
4 large onion slices
4 slices cheese
4 burger buns
Lettuce
Sliced tomato
Sliced beets
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Mix first four ingredients, form into four patties and cook on a griddle, along with eggs and onion slices. Melt cheese on top of burgers. Place the buns face down on the griddle to soak up the beef juices and lightly toast them.
Stack burgers on buns topped with eggs and onion slices. Add lettuce, tomato and beets.
Serves 4.
— Recipe from Bob Bransdon of Las Vegas
Light and Tasty Mushroom Burger
1¾ pounds 93-percent-lean ground beef
1¼ cups finely chopped fresh mushrooms
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoon ketchup
6 wheat buns
6 leaves of your favorite lettuce
6 tomato slices
6 red onion slices
Dill pickle chips
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Combine first seven ingredients (through pepper) in large bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into six patties. Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Set gas grill or heat coals to medium-hot. Place patties on rack and cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and ketchup until well mixed. Set aside. Remove patties from grill. Place buns on grill for about 1 minute to get a light char.
Remove buns, spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayo mixture on bottom half of bun and top with patty, lettuce, tomato, onion and a couple of pickle chips.
Serves 6.
— Recipe from Glori Spriggs of Henderson
Stafford Burgers
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon teriyaki or Worcestershire sauce
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Mix all together and form into four patties. Grill over medium heat; turn after a few minutes and cook until medium doneness.
Serves 4.
— Recipe from Alice Nulle of Woodstock, Ill.
My Favorite Burger
2 pounds ground sirloin (90-percent-plus lean)
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapenos, seeds removed
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
6 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
2 tablespoons A-1 Sauce
2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
4 slices white cheddar (or your favorite cheese)
4 onion buns, lightly buttered
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked
Leaf lettuce
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Mix first nine ingredients (through black pepper) well and refrigerate for one hour.
Divide the burger mix into four equal portions, working the meat together. Flatten each burger evenly to make a nice large patty.
Preheat grill on high to at least 500 degrees; when grill is really hot, carefully place the burgers on the grill. (I spray cooking spray directly on the burgers to prevent sticking.) Cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes; each grill will vary depending on how hot it gets. Flip burgers and cook about 3 minutes.
Put 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce on top of each burger, then top with the white cheddar.
Place the lightly buttered buns on the grill to toast but watch very closely. In about 3 minutes, remove the buns to a platter. Place one burger on bottom bun and top each with two slices of bacon, lettuce and the top bun.
Serves 4.
— Recipe from Jeff Chounard of Las Vegas
BnBB (Butt and Brisket Burgers)
Whole prime brisket
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic to taste
Brioche buns, toasted
Smoked pulled pork
Caramelized onions
Barbecue sauce
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Double-grind an entire prime brisket. Form 8-ounce patties. Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Grill to just shy of medium. Place each patty on a toasted brioche bun.
Top with pork, caramelized onions and barbecue sauce.
Servings vary, depending on size of brisket.
— Recipe from Mark Cheney of Las Vegas
French Onion Turkey Burgs
1 pound ground turkey
1½ cups diced onions
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
1 envelope dry Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix (divided use)
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 King’s Hawaiian buns
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
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Mix turkey with onions, breadcrumbs and half of the onion soup mix.
Cook on grill or stovetop. Top each burger with a slice of Havarti cheese and place on bun. Mix butter and Worcestershire sauce and remaining onion soup mix and brush on tops of buns. Place under broiler until cheese is melted.
— Recipe from Danielle Aguiar of Henderson
Grilled Burgers
½ sweet onion, sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 link each, hot and sweet turkey sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons pesto, plus a touch for sauce
1 egg
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
3 to 4 slices provolone cheese
3 to 4 brioche rolls, grilled
For sauce
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Touch of pesto
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Saute onion in olive oil.
Mix onion, turkey, sausages, pesto, egg and Romano cheese. Grill on flat-top surface for 7 to 8 minutes, then flip over, top with provolone cheese and grill for another 5 minutes.
To make sauce, mix mayonnaise, ketchup and a touch of pesto. Serve burgers with sauce.
Serves 3 to 4, depending on size.
— Recipe from Gary Pasquale of Las Vegas
Italian Burgers
12 ounces bulk Italian sausage
8 ounces ground chuck
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon each, dried basil and oregano
Sliced provolone cheese
Sliced pepperoni
Pizza sauce
4 ciabatta rolls
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Mix ingredients through herbs. Grill on an oiled grate. Top with cheese and pepperoni.
Spread pizza sauce on rolls, and add burgers.
Serves four.
— Recipe from Ann Brown of Las Vegas
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Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.