Cooking Classics
The Technique
Party Cheeseburgers
Party Cheeseburgers are cute as a button & guests are bound to go wild for them. These petite bites are a nice change of pace when grill side entertaining is in order. Handcrafted Miniature Buns & ground beef are portioned with a small cutter to make sure it’s a perfect fit. Homemade Ketchup, Chipotle Aïoli & just a bit of lettuce are all that’s needed to complete them but they can certainly be topped with whatever you so please. Party Cheeseburgers can be offered as an appetizer or main dish. Learn how to make this classic in a fresh new way by following my valuable pointers.
Party Cheeseburgers
makes 3 1/2 dozen
3 1/2 dozen Miniature Buns
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb 93% ground beef
4 Gouda cheese slices
1 1/4 tsp oil
Green baby lettuce leaves
Homemade Ketchup & Chipotle Aïoli
Salt & Pepper Potato Chips
Classic Dill Pickle Spears
Prepare the Miniature Buns as directed. Combine the salt & the pepper in a ramekin. Place the ground beef in a 1-gallon size zip-top plastic bag. Roll into a square using a pastry pin. Push the beef into the corners being certain it’s an even thickness. Cut the bag away using scissors. Sprinkle with half of the salt & pepper, pressing lightly into the beef. Invert onto a 15 x 15-inch piece of parchment paper. Remove the bag & discard. Sprinkle with the remaining salt & pepper. Cut 25 {1 5/8-inch} circles in the beef. If the cutter does not pierce all the way through, make an imprint then trim the rounds using kitchen shears. Gently reshape the patties along the edges, if necessary, by tucking the beef neatly around the sides. Place the beef patties onto a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Gather the beef. Reshape, roll & cut to an 1/8-inch thickness on a cutting board as necessary to yield a total of 42 beef patties. Stack the cheese slices & cut them to yield 12 pieces. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to Medium-High heat {350-400 degrees}. Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet directly onto the grill grate & swipe the surface with 1/4 teaspoon oil. When the skillet is hot & begins to smoke, cook the beef patties, in batches, 1 minute on each side. After turning them, top with a piece of cheese & cover with the grill lid to melt. Remove the burgers from the grill. Repeat the procedure with the remaining oil, beef patties & cheese.
Split the Miniature Buns using a serrated knife; top the bottom portion with lettuce, the cheeseburgers, Homemade Ketchup & Chipotle Aïoli. Serve with Salt & Pepper Potato Chips & Classic Dill Pickle Spears.
Miniature Buns
makes 3 1/2 dozen
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/4 tsp highly active dry yeast
4 tsp sugar, divided
2 cups bread flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 eggs, divided
1 tsp water
Sesame seeds
Stir together the warm water, the yeast & 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Whisk together the flour, the remaining 3 teaspoons sugar & the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter, one egg & the yeast mixture. Mix on Low speed 1 minute with a dough hook. The dough will come together in a ball around the hook. Increase the speed to Medium & mix 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball & place in a lightly greased bowl. Spray the dough surface with cooking spray & cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a draft-free spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Remove the dough from the bowl & place smooth side up onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a flat even disc. Using a pastry pin, roll the dough to a quarter-inch thickness. Cut the dough with a 1 5/8-inch round cutter. Gather the dough, reroll the scraps & repeat the process until all of the dough has been portioned. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes if it becomes difficult to remain flattened. Place the cut outs onto parchment paper-lined half sheet pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a draft free spot for about 20 minutes or until increased by 1/4 the original size.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together the remaining egg & the water; brush over the dough tops. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 7 to 8 minutes. The tops will be pale. Place the buns under the broiler 1 to 2 minutes, continuously rotating the pan to evenly brown, if desired. Cool completely. Slice the buns in the center horizontally using a serrated knife.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Party Cheeseburgers
Portion the ground beef up to a day ahead of time for effortless entertaining. The buns may be prepared up to two days ahead. Place them in a zip-top bag & refrigerate them. Steam them a few seconds in the microwave to make the buns pliable for neat & tidy filling.
The Technique
A few pieces of equipment will be needed in order to complete the task. Read through the recipe instructions before beginning. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
Combine the salt & the pepper in a ramekin. Place the ground beef in a 1-gallon size zip-top plastic bag. Roll into a square using a pastry pin. Push the beef into the corners being certain it’s an even thickness. Cut the bag away using scissors. Sprinkle with half of the salt & pepper, pressing lightly into the beef. Invert onto a 15 x 15-inch piece of parchment paper. Remove the bag & discard. Sprinkle with the remaining salt & pepper. Cut 25 {1 5/8-inch} circles in the beef.
1a
If the cutter does not pierce all the way through, make an imprint then trim the rounds using kitchen shears. Gently reshape the patties along the edges, if necessary, by tucking the beef neatly around the sides. Place the beef patties onto a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Gather the beef. Reshape, roll & cut to an 1/8-inch thickness on a cutting board as necessary to yield a total of 42 beef patties.
No. 2
Preheat the grill to Medium-High heat {350-400 degrees}. Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet directly onto the grill grate & swipe the surface with 1/4 teaspoon oil.
2a
When the skillet is hot & begins to smoke, cook the beef patties, in batches, 1 minute on each side.
No. 3
After turning them, top with a piece of cheese & cover with the grill lid to melt.
3a
Remove the burgers from the grill. Repeat the procedure with the remaining oil, beef patties & cheese.
The Tune
“Moondance” Van Morrison
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