Green Chile Cheeseburgers
03
It’s funny because I love love LOVE these things now. I posted a picture of charred Anaheim and poblano pictures to Instagram recently and titled it “my BFFs” because they kind of are. I am pepper-obsessed, especially when it comes to green chiles. We started a small garden this year but you better believe it still contained poblanos and jalapeños.
Obviously, I adored these burgers. They reminded me a lot of my other potentially favorite (or at least top 3) burgers, these queso fundido ones. These use peppers that are a little spicier (Anaheim vs. poblano) and don’t have chorizo, but otherwise they’re very similar and both ridiculously delicious.
These are in a grilling cookbook, but you can definitely make them indoors. The chiles can be charred directly on the gas flame of your range, or under the broiler. I like to use a cast iron skillet when cooking burgers indoors. Illinois doesn’t actually want us to do much grilling out this year, as evidenced by the nonstop rain we’ve been receiving since Memorial Day, so contingency plans are key.
Green Chile Cheeseburgers
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
3 anaheim chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
3 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
1 onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2″ rounds
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, sliced or shredded
4-6 hamburger buns
Light a charcoal fire until hot and clean the grate. Grill the chiles and onion until charred and tender, 2-4 minutes per side. Remove the charred skin from the chiles and separate the onion into rings. Put the chiles, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped in small chunks. Set aside all but 1/4 cup in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Process the remaining 1/4 cup until finely chopped.
Add the finely chopped chile mixture to the ground beef along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 4-6 patties, creating an indent in the center of each.
Grill the burgers, divot side down 2-5 minutes, or until well browned. Flip the burgers. Add chopped chile mixture to each and cover with a piece of cheese. Grill for an additional 2-5 minutes, depending on thickness of the burgers and how done you want them.
Place buns on the grate and toast quickly. Serve patties on buns with any condiments you’d like.
You, my friend, need a grill pan. Especially since you can’t grill outside year round.
I have one and I hate it. Cast iron for life!
I used to think I hated tomatoes when I was a kid! Oh how times have changed. 🙂