Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Green Chile Cheeseburgers


We're big fans of burgers around here, so when I found some elusive New Mexico Hatch chiles, I knew I wanted to incorporate them into a burger.  And when I think of chiles, I think of Bobby Flay - that guy will add chiles to anything.  He actually did a Throwdown for Green Chile Cheeseburgers, and while he didn't win, his version still looked insanely delicious. 

You start with a grilled burger, then top it with queso sauce, green chile relish, and pickled red onions.  The chile relish contains not only Hatch chiles, but also a poblano and a serrano.  They are roasted and mixed with some vinegar, honey, and cilantro.  The result is a tangy and spicy condiment that I could pretty much eat by the spoonful.  The picked red onions are also an awesome component.  I had never pickled anything but cucumbers, but I am now officially a convert.  We enjoyed the leftover onions on everything from sandwiches, to pizza, to salads, to quesadillas.  I think I want a jar of these in my refrigerator at all times from now on.  And finally, the burgers are smothered in queso.  Which I'm not even going to elaborate on because well.. it's queso.  No other description is needed. :-)

These could quite easily be my new favorite burger.  We not only loved them the day we made them, but I used one of the leftover patties to make quesadillas another night - I just crumbled the patty and topped a tortilla with monterrey jack cheese, some of the onions, and the green chile relish.  And we enjoyed those almost as much as the burgers themselves. 



Green Chile Cheeseburgers 
adapted from Bobby Flay's Throwdown!
makes 4 burgers

Pickled Red Onions
  • 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbs sugar
  • 1 Tbs kosher salt
  • 1 red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
Green Chile Relish
  • 1 medium poblano chile
  • 2 Hatch chiles, or 2 Anaheim chiles
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs honey
  • 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 Burgers
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
To serve
  • 4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
  • 8 Tbs Queso sauce
To make the pickled onions, combine the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and the salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Put the onions in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour the vinegar over them.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 48 hours.

For the green chile relish, roast the chiles:  Heat the broiler to high heat and place a baking sheet with the chiles on it 6 inches from the heating element.  Use tongs to turn the chiles every few minutes, until they are blackened all over.  Add the chiles to a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Allow to cool about 10-15 minutes, then peel the chiles.  Remove the seeds and ribs and chop into small pieces.

Combine the vinegar, honey, olive oil, and cilantro in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine.  Stir in the diced chiles and season with salt and pepper.  Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

For the burgers, preheat the grill.  In a large bowl, combine the beef, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Lightly mix to combine and shape into 4 patties, each about 1 1/2 inches thick.  Grill the burgers to desired doneness, flipping once.

To serve, place a patty on the bottom side of each bun, then top each with about 2 tablespoons of queso, green chile relish, and pickled red onions.  Top with the other half of the bun and serve.


13 comments:

Annie said...

We saw that episode of Throwdown and I remember thinking these looked great. I agree, pickled red onions are awesome! You've inspired me to try these. Yum.

Laura said...

Queso? Green chilies? Pickled onions? Sign me up! Holy moly these look incredible.

Lyndsey said...

Ok, I live in Georgia, where did you find the hatch peppers?!?! I have been looking for 5 years since we visited my husbands family in New Mexico and they had these burgers. He talks about them everytime we eat a burger. I'm am going to make these soon for sure!

Also, I saw that throwdown episode and craved them for weeks!

Thanks for the post!

Amy said...

These look so good! I love all the peppers.

Anonymous said...

Ok, these look amazing! We love some spice around here and a spicy burger with queso sound heavenly! Great pics too!

Josie said...

Lyndsey,
I found them at The Fresh Market. So if you have one near you, check there!

kyleen said...

This burger looks so good! You had me a pickled Red Onions.

Grace said...

Those. Look. Awesome.

http://ittybittyampersand.blogspot.com/

Madi @ Sit Down and Eat Your Peas said...

Wow! These look amazing! I found you via Tastespotting and am definitely going to look into these burgers! I recently have developed a love for green chiles and you can never go wrong with queso ;)

Kelsey said...

Yum, yum, and yum! I know what's going on our weekend menu! Once again, our flavor likes are perfectly lined up. How could you ever go wrong with cheese and green chiles?

Olga said...

I loved your burger recipe - and the chillies gave me an idea- thanks so much!

http://happykitchentreats.blogspot.com/2011/10/hamburglars.html

Andi said...

I've wanted to make these SO BADLY ever since he did that throwdown. They look yummy!

nicole said...

this looks awesome. I went to Santa Fe once and ate green chilies on everything possible. I love the flavor of them

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