Equipment
Ingredients
Spicy Burger Sauce
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 30 g ketchup
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 15 g sriracha sauce
- 15 g dill pickles, finely chopped
Beef Patties
- 600 g ground beef, 80/20 lean to fat ratio, chilled
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
- 3 g garlic powder
- 4 g smoked paprika
- 8 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Assembly
- 4 brioche buns
- 20 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 pepper jack cheese, sliced
- 4 iceberg lettuce, leaves
- 1 tomato, large, sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 766 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 57 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1463 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Trans Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 19 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 141 mg
- Potassium
- 618 mg
- Calcium
- 205 mg
- Iron
- 4.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 354 mg
- Zinc
- 7.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 163 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 37 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 6.7 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 152 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, dijon mustard, sriracha, and finely chopped dill pickles in a small mixing bowl. Stir until smooth and well integrated. Set aside in the refrigerator to allow flavors to meld.
In a large bowl, gently mix the chilled ground beef with the diced jalapeno, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Handle the meat as little as possible to prevent it from becoming tough.
Divide the seasoned beef mixture evenly into 4 portions. Form each portion into a patty slightly wider than your buns. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent bulging during cooking.
Spread softened butter onto the cut sides of the brioche buns. Toast them face down in a cold cast iron skillet brought up to medium heat until golden brown. Remove buns and set aside.
Increase the skillet heat to medium-high. Place the beef patties in the skillet and sear undisturbed until a dark crust forms on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Flip the patties and immediately top each with a slice of pepper jack cheese. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature reaches 71°C/160°F for food safety.
Spread a generous layer of the spicy burger sauce on the bottom toasted buns. Layer with lettuce and tomato slices. Place the cheesy hot beef patty on top, then finish with the top bun.
Chef's Notes
- Always use 80/20 ground beef for burgers. Leaner beef will dry out during the high-heat searing process, resulting in a crumbly, dry patty.
- Do not salt the beef mixture if you plan to let the patties sit for more than a few minutes before cooking. Salt extracts moisture and dissolves proteins, turning the burger into a dense, sausage-like texture. If making ahead, add salt only to the exterior just before searing.
- Toasting the buns in butter is not just for flavor; the fat creates a hydrophobic barrier that prevents the juicy patty and sauce from making the bun soggy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store raw or cooked patties and sauce separately. Do not store fully assembled burgers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze raw patties individually wrapped in parchment paper. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
Reheating: Reheat cooked patties in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, covered, until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Burgers turn into a spherical shape and bulge in the middle
Cause: Connective tissues shrink while cooking and steam pushes the center up
Fix: Gently press down with a spatula during the first minute of cooking, though this sacrifices some juices
Prevention: Press a pronounced dimple into the center of the raw patty before cooking
Burger patties fall apart in the pan
Cause: Ground beef was too warm before cooking or not formed tightly enough
Fix: Melt cheese over the cracks to act as edible glue to hold the patty together
Prevention: Keep beef as cold as possible until shaping and cooking; form patties with firm but gentle pressure
Cultural Context
The hamburger is the cornerstone of American diner and fast-food culture, evolving significantly since its late 19th-century origins. This recipe takes the classic griddled American cheeseburger and elevates it with Tex-Mex and global heat influences through fresh jalapenos and a sriracha-spiked secret sauce.
