Cuban Burger

Unless I'm at a barbecue, I don't really go out of my way to make a burger on my own. I actually can't even remember the last time I had a burger! Beef does not appear very frequently on my dinner menu. Yet somehow, I still ended up with a pack of ground beef in my freezer. On weekdays, I usually don't have the time (or the patience) to make chili or sloppy joes. I also don't trust my slow cooker to behave while I'm gone for 10 hours. My brain couldn't come up with creative ideas to cook the beef since I really don't so I went a-searching on Foodgawker.



This is a burger I would go out of my way to make. It's a Cuban burger and I couldn't tell how it would taste just by reading the list of ingredients so I didn't have high expectations. I still wanted to make sure I did it right, so I went out to buy some pickles and ham as I didn't have any. I'm glad I did because every ingredient in this burger matters. I mean, I like each ingredient on its own but all together? Amazing!



Now, I didn't follow the instructions completely. I just used the bread that I had instead of getting rolls (I kinda forgot about that part) and I didn't toast it either. Next time, I'll have to as I think it will add even more to the flavor. Next time could be very soon. Make it part of your dinner menu as it's a change from the traditional that everybody will surely enjoy.

Cuban Burger
From Simple Comfort Food

1/2 lb ground chuck
1 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 cup of ham, paper thin
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp yellow mustard
Dill pickles, approximately 5 oval slices
2 slices of Swiss cheese
1 sturdy Hamburger bun
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Begin by shaping your hamburger patty. Lay down a bit of wax paper on a plate. Lay down another piece of wax paper on top of the patty. Take the back of a dinner plate and press down on the patty. Season liberally with salt.

Preheat your cast iron skillet or just a skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Once heated, add the patty, salt side down. Season the other side with salt. Let the burger cook, untouched, for a few minutes as you want to get a great sear on the patty.

Meanwhile, slice the buns, and add a bit of butter to each one. Add the buns onto a preheated skillet, and cook until they are lightly toasted. Once toasted, remove them and set aside.

Flip the patty, and cook another couple of minutes, or until your desired doneness.

Add the mayonnaise to the bottom of one bun. Add the mustard to the other bun. To the bottom bun, add the ham, then one slice of Swiss cheese. Top with the cooked patty. Add the pickles, then top with the remaining Swiss cheese. Add the top bun.

Wipe the skillet, and return it back to the burner, setting the temperature to low, to medium low. Remember that any good Cuban sandwich has that crunch exterior, that when knocking on the bread itself actually makes a noise. Once the burger is on the skillet, add something heavy to the top of the bun. After a minute or so, take a look at the bottom and make sure you are not burning the bread. After cooking for a few minutes, flip the burger, and add the weight back on, flattening the other side.

Once you have achieved the crispy exterior on the other side, remove, and put that baby on a plate.