My photo
Ontario, Canada
I am a wife, mother and grandma who enjoys the many aspects of homemaking. A variety of interests and hobbies combined with travel keep me active. They reflect the importance of family, friends, home and good food.
Cook ingredients that you are used to cooking by other techniques, such as fish, chicken, or hamburgers. In other words be comfortable with the ingredients you are using.
--Bobby Flay

For Your Information

Please watch this area for important information like updates, food recalls, polls, contests, coupons, and freebies.
  • [March 19, 2020] - Effective Mar 17, this blog will no longer accept advertising. The reason is very simple. If I like a product, I will promote it without compensation. If I don't like a product, I will have no problem saying so.
  • [March 17, 2020] - A return to blogging! Stay tuned for new tips, resources and all things food related.
  • [February 1, 2016] - An interesting report on why you should always choose organic tea verses non-organic: Toxic Tea (pdf format)
  • Sticky Post - Warning: 4ever Recap reusable canning lids. The reports are growing daily of these lids losing their seal during storage. Some have lost their entire season's worth of canning to these seal failures! [Update: 4ever Recap appears to be out of business.]

Popular Posts

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

A Burger With Attitude for Canada Day 2008


Happy Canada Day


Many people celebrate Canada Day by having get-togethers that include grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. In our neck of the woods we are hoping that the latest trend of raining almost daily will end. Today we woke to more rain and winds out of the north so the temperature had dropped quite a few degrees. We are planning to do a little boating tomorrow depending on the weather. Grilling will likely be part of our celebrations if we don't stop at one of our favourite haunts while boating. Later in the evening weather permitting we will sit on the dock to enjoy the fireworks. We don't set them off ourselves but don't mind enjoying seeing various displays. I do hope the rain holds off and it warms a bit!

Burger With Attitude

I've mentioned before that my husband makes the most fantastic homemade burger patties using fresh ground beef. However, there is no reason that a burger always has to be made using ground beef. Saturday he decided to make burgers but with a twist. Instead of using just ground beef he added ground pork and turkey to the beef. Then end result was a flavourful, juicy burger with a noticeable but pleasant difference in taste.

The following recipe is for a large batch of patties with about a third used to make meatballs. We were entertaining that evening so the meatballs were cooked then went into the slow cooker with sauce for later. The burger patties freeze nicely either raw or cooked as does the cooked meatballs. This is something we regularly do when cooking for stocking the freezer with homemade convenience foods. It is a frugal use of time and the energy source used to cook the food.

Toppings: iceburg lettuce, aged sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, dill pickles, onions, jalapeno peppers
Condiments: Miracle Whip®, ketchup, mustard, relish

Combination Burger Patties

5 lb lean ground beef
2 lb ground pork
2 lb ground turkey
2 ½ dry bread crumbs
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1½ tbsp garlic pepper
¼ c Heinz 57 steak sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl using your hands. Form into large patties* about 5 - inch diameter and ¾ - inch thick or form into 2 - inch meatballs**.

Grilling: The most important thing when grilling burgers besides having your grill set to the correct temperature (medium) is to never press the patty to flatten. Flattening forces all those lovely juices out of the burger and increases flare-ups. The second most import thing when grilling is to only flip the burger once. Use a large barbeque flipper to flip the burger to prevent the patty breaking. Flip when the patty is nicely browned with defined grill marks. Grill on the other side until the burger is nicely browned with well defined grill marks and the interior registers at least 71ºC/160ºF*** on an instant read thermometer***.

Frying (meatballs): Heat 2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil on medium in a fry pan. Place meatballs in a single layer on the bottom of the fry pan. Fry until browned. Turn and continue cooking until browned through. Remove from fry pan using a slotted spoon. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked. If freezing allow to cool then flash freeze in a single layer and package into freezer bags. If using the same day, place in slow cooker, add sauce then set on low until ready to use.

* The patties will shrink in diameter and thicken while grilling. Alternately you can use a burger patty press if desired.
** A meatballer can be used for this.
*** The old advice to cook until no longer pink is no longer recommended. The inside can still look pink depending on whether the ground beef was fresh or frozen and how it was thawed when cooked to the proper temperature however, depending on where the ground meat was purchased can look brown before it is safely cooked. Therefore it is best to use an instant read thermometer to ensure your burgers have been cooked to the proper temperature.


12 food lovers commented:

Thistlemoon said...

That is one tasty looking burger! The Hubz and I were just discussing the other day how no one ever puts ground pork in burgers and how yummy that would be! :) I love the jalapenos! Best of luck with the weather!

ShellyH said...

wow....I am loving your blog! I would say that burger definately has some serious attitude going on! This weekend I am working on canning some mulberry jams.

I found your blog via the foodie blog roll.

Unknown said...

Happy Canada Day - we had a nice sunny one here in Ottawa. Actually we spent the day in Meriickville ON (along the Rideau Canal) and it was wonderful.

BillyWarhol said...

that is one Burger Royale!!

my Secret Ingregedients for my BBQ BillyBurgers are Lea + Perrins Worcestershire Sauce + Garlic Salt + McCormack's Spicy Pepper Medley!!

+ of course Heinz Ketchy on Top!!

;))

chilly said...

WOW! I'll take one of those burgers! But much more heavy on the onions, please!!! LOL

Chat Blanc said...

I'm drooling right now looking at that burger--YUM! These are the times I wish I could grill. I'll have to pass this along to my mom for safe holiday cooking! Cheers!

Garden Gnome said...

Jenndz, the pork really is a lovely addition. I got the idea of the jalapenos from Harvey's who offers hot peppers for their burgers. It's not a common topping but it really sparks up a burger!

The weather ended up being quite pleasant so we were able to get a boat ride and stop for burgers and onion rings at one of our favourite marinas.

Garden Gnome said...

Shelly, thanks for visiting. I'm glad you are enjoying my blog :) Oh I would love to find some mulberries!

Garden Gnome said...

Billywarhol, that name just might stick although I think his all beef burger is a Burger Royale :) Lea & Perrins Worchestershire sauce is almost a must have with beef and when I make hamburgers I like adding Montreal steak seasoning.

Garden Gnome said...

Sandy, the indoor grills work nicely if you can't grill outdoors.

Garden Gnome said...

More onions it is Chilly :)

Kim said...

Great tasty looking burger!