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French Onion Burger

Course: Main Course
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 3 burgers
Author: Bobby Parrish
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Ingredients

For the burger:

  • 1 pound Cedar Spring ground veal
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 16 ounce block of Gruyere cheese grated
  • Brioche buns potato rolls are a good substitute
  • Red leaf lettuce
  • Veggie oil

For the onions:

  • 2 pounds yellow onions sliced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
  • 1/4 cup cognac or brandy
  • 1 cup of low sodium veal stock or beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. For the onions, melt butter in heavy bottom pan/pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions, bay leaf, and cook for 45 minutes until soft and caramelized, stirring often. You can't rush this step, so take your time, this can be done 1 day ahead of time. Add the cognac and thyme and cook until almost all of the cognac has dissolved. Add the veal/beef stock, salt, and a few cracks of fresh pepper, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Take off heat and set aside.
  2. For the burgers, form 6 ounce portions of ground veal(use a scale or eyeball it) into a large meatball. Using a ring mold, lid of a peanut butter or mayo jar, or your hands, form the burger patties in a uniform size. Chill the burgers in the fridge until right before you cook them.
  3. Meanwhile, to make the cheese crisps. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Measure 1 heaping tablespoon of grated cheese, and mound it on lined sheet tray. Use you finger to spread that pile out into a circle. Add a touch of cracked pepper on top and repeat 4 more times. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown, keep an eye on these because they burn quickly. Take out of the oven and set aside, they will harden into crackers within 10 minutes. You may want to make extra because they are snack worthy.
  4. Preheat a cast iron pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of veggie oil. Grab the burgers from the fridge and season one side with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a couple cracks of pepper. Place seasoned side down in the pan. Use your fingers to make a wide dimple in the middle of the burgers, this will prevent them from plumping up like a football while cooking. Season the top side of your burgers with same amount of salt and pepper and let cook for 5 minutes on the first side. Flip burgers, you should have a beautiful crust. Cook 1 more minute then add a small handful of grated cheese on each burger, toss 2-3 ice cubes in the pan and cover with a lid. The ice will help the cheese melt evenly and add extra moisture to the burger. Cook 3 minutes and move cooked burgers to a plate to rest for 2 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the mayonnaise and mustard together and set aside and toast your buns if you desire. To build your burger schmear some mayo-dijon mixture on the bottom bun, top with a piece of lettuce, the burger, a generous amount of cognac braised onions, the cheese crisp, and the top bun. Enjoy!