There are many approaches to making burgers that involve adding things directly to the meat. I’m typically a purist and stick to all-meat patties (and salt & pepper). Very occasionally will I add some Worcestershire sauce to it for some umami (the savory flavor). I find that adding lots of stuff into the meat mixture turns it into a sort of meatloaf sandwich, which, while tasty, takes away from the essence of a true burger. That said, I went ahead and made a mixed ingredient patty.
When mixing things into a patty, the additions are generally obvious and fairly normal things you would see in one iteration of a burger or another. Things that make sense: Mixing two meats in a burger patty. Mixing toppings into the meat. Using non-beef meats (like chicken or turkey) for your patty.
Things that do not make sense: Mixing blueberries and beef together.
But it works.
Blueberry Burger
Adding other ingredients directly to the ground beef is not a new idea. I’ve seen things like onions, cheese, even bacon, added directly to the burger patty. But fruits? Blueberries? How on earth do I justify that? Fairly easily, it turns out.
I saw this idea flutter around the internet near the end of last year and thought I’d finally try it. Mixing blueberries and ground beef is an interesting concept, and not one which easily lends itself to reason. The two flavors are not necessarily complimentary or related, but the result is impressive. The logic behind this combination is not for flavor boosting, but for moisture control.
Boosting the moisture content of the meat allows you to use the leanest ground beef available without turning the burger into a dense hockey puck. Typically, burgers are made with 80/20 beef and it is the fat that keeps the burger juicy when cooked. I’ve made low fat burgers in the past and been disappointed by how dry they become. By using extra-lean beef and blueberries, you end up with a burger that is quite healthful.
The bottom right one has caramelized onions on it!
Blueberry Burgers
Makes 6 1/3-lb burgers.
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef (or even extra-lean)
1 to 2 cups of blueberries (fresh, or thawed frozen)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Directions
- Roughly chop the blueberries and add them to the ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Loosely mix the mixture together with salt and pepper.
- Form six loosely packed patties. Give each one a little indentation with your thumb in the center. This will help keep the burgers from cooking into balls (many burgers tend to contract and get thicker as they cook).
- Cook over a hot grill for about 3-4 minutes a side. For a medium-rare burger, flip as soon as the juices start pearling out of the top. For medium, cook 30-45 seconds beyond that, then flip.
- If desired, add cheese during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Toast the buns for 30 seconds.
1 comment
This is one of my secrets, too. People say that the blueberries (if noticeable) work well with the cheese if added.
Also I heard that blueberries mixed with ground beef makes it tastier if you have to reheat the burger.
I ad other things, too, sometimes (yellow mustard & worcestershire sauce) before cooking.