Happy Burger Month! (You didn’t know it was a thing, did you?) That’s right! May is National Burger Month. (Hurray!) And May 28th is National Burger Day.
Truthfully, I knew nothing of this, but we had the most amazing burger meal recently because of my friend, respectfully known as The Burger Beast, and I totally want to tell you all about him and all about the Best Burger We’ve Ever Had.
If I was feeling poetic – which I’m not – I’d take the time to write The Tale of Burger Beast and The Amazing Beast Sauce. But because it’s me, you’ll just have to imagine everything I’m about to describe to you. Ya tu sabes.
First, the whole thing started when my friend Sef Gonzalez – better known as The Burger Beast – sent me a bottle of his fabulous new Beast Sauce. It’s technically a Guava Sriracha Ketchup. I know. I’ll wait for a moment while you wrap your brain around that.
So, it’s got a beautifully sweet flavor, because GUAVA(!), but with a slight kick at the end. Even for those of us who are mostly averse to spicy, it’s super tasty.
PSA: I feel like now is a good time to review that Cubans don’t usually do spicy. Our food is more savory than spicy, drawing on onion, bell peppers, and garlic for our base, but that’s not important right now. Still, you’re welcome.
I think that because The Burger Beast himself is Cuban, he knows how to add the kick so it’s just enough, but not enough to be a “mata gente,” (people killer) as my mom would say.
My son-in-law, Marc is the Burger Master in our home and I’m about to walk you through his burger-making secrets with the addition of the Beast Sauce, which totally took his already amazing burger from good to great.
Believe it.
The Amazing Beast Sauce Burger
The list of ingredients includes the usual – ground beef, salt, pepper, etc. But there’s a twist. These burgers are mustard fried (!!), which makes them truly amazing. Hear me now and believe me later.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs. ground beef (80-20)
- Brioche burger buns
- Melted butter
- American cheese – slices
- 1 large yellow onion – sliced
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce – shredded
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes
- Bread and butter pickle chips
- yellow mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Beast Sauce
We use our electric grill for these because we can control a lot of the elements. Also, we are not yet ready to do any outdoor grilling, so there’s that.
It’s an Oster DuraCeramic 10” x 20” Electric Griddle w/Warming Tray. You can find it on Amazon. Here’s the link if you’re interested: https://amzn.to/2YnDren
INSTRUCTIONS
1.Separate the ground beef into 1/4 lb. sections and shape into patties.
2. Chill ground beef in refrigerator for about 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
3. Heat grill to about 350° F and brush melted butter onto burger buns. Grill until brown. Then set aside and let them cool. (This part is very important. The grilled, but cooled buns will give that burger tons of flavor and will hold the entire thing together beautifully.
4. Melt about 2 Tbsp. of butter and drop the onions in until they caramelize and are soft and brown.
5. Shred lettuce and slice tomatoes.
Now you’re ready to make the magic.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. After you have sprinkled the burgers with salt & pepper and set them on the hot grill. SMASH them with a flat, hard spatula. Give them about 2-3 minutes on the grill, then turn.
8. Then cover with mustard and flip them so that the mustard cooks in.
9. Add pickles and cheese, then cook for another 3-4 minutes until done.
10. Spread the sauce on your cool grilled buns.
11. Then build your burgers. Place the meat and your preferred condiments on the sauced buns.
12. Praise the Cuban Cooking Gods (and Burger Beast) for this fabulous new sauce.
This is my son-in-law, Marc, our resident Beast Burger Master.
Now that you’ve fallen in love with Burger Beast Sauce, here’s where you can get it:
- BurgerBeast.com – lucky for all of us, he ships anywhere in the U.S.
- Beast Sauce is now available in over 30 markets, restaurants, and convenience stores, if you live in South Florida.
- Also, if you’re in South Florida, just go visit Cuban Guys Restaurants and More. Get yourself one of the Legendary Beast Burgers – I lean toward the one with the egg on it. That’s right. I’m all about “A Caballo. (Shut up. I know.) Also, you’re welcome.
- To get to know Sef, and the beauty of burgers, please go visit his blog: specifically, the post about his Frita Recipe. I know you’ll enjoy it.
I’m super grateful for my friendship with Sef. And I hope you’ll take the time to hang around the Burger Beast site and order his sauce. He’s the real deal when it comes to burgers, but also, when it comes to Cubanity.
He’s also the brains behind Croquetapalooza that I was honored to judge in December. That’s a thousand stories that I want to share, but they’ll have to wait for another day.
I count myself the luckiest because I get to meet and hang with the very coolest people. Because Cuban.
Oh, the Cubanity!
