The wonderful combination of….
- an iron skillet
- butter
- quality cheese (Sargento is my cheese of choice)
- ground chuck
- sauteed onions
…. make these cheeseburgers so delicious it’ll feel like you’re eating cheeseburgers for the first time in your life.
First off, you have to have an iron skillet for these particular burgers. At least for these particular burgers to be the “best ever.” Can you use a regular skillet or griddle? Of course. BUT the results will not be as good as they are with an iron skillet – this I promise you.
Secondly, butter. Butter, butter, butter. No substitutions. I don’t know why this matters as much as it does, but it matters almost as much as the iron skillet.
{Recipe Continued beneath the iron skillet….}
Let’s build those cheeseburgers!
First of all, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in an iron skillet over medium heat. While the butter melts, chop one sweet onion. Ti doesn’t “have” to be sweet – see, I can be flexible on some things.
You’ll want to saute the onion in the melted butter for a good 15 minutes. While they’re sauteing, season them with freshly cracked black pepper – and don’t be stingy. You’re not just making great tasting sauteed onions, you’re laying the foundation for the flavor you’ll be giving your cheeseburgers. Black pepper is a very, very, very good thing when red meat is involved.
After 15 minutes, transfer the onions to a plate and cover with foil to keep them nice and warm.
Add another tablespoon of butter to the iron skillet.
Generously season 1 lb of ground chuck with salt and pepper. I plop my ground beef onto a piece of wax paper and season the whole shebang. This ensures that “all” of the meat is seasoned as opposed to just the outside.
Now you’ll want to divide the seasoned chuck into four balls of equal size. Place the balls into the skillet and smush each one down with the back of your spatula. To those outside of Kentucky, smush is the same thing as smash, just with more of an attitude.
Don’t worry about pressing too hard – you want them to all but stick to the skillet. This is what’ll give them that delectable crust we’re all looking for. Cook over medium-high heat for about two minutes, then flip.
Place one or two slices of cheese on each burger, then add a dollop of sauteed onions on top of each cheeseburger.
While they finish up (it’ll just take a few minutes – by the time the cheese has melted, they’re ready), toast your buns in a separate skillet. Simply butter the inside of the buns and lightly toast in the skillet. Again, this may seem like a small detail – but it’s essential. I normally buy buns that are seeded, just because back in the day (before my body decided that wheat and gluten were evil), I preferred them. Don’t know if it was because they tasted better or because they’re just so darn cute. Maybe a little of both.
If you have to eat gluten free, needless to say… skip the seeded buns! Toast gluten free bread or simply serve your burgers in leaf lettuce. I’ve done both and they both are delicious options.
As for toppings or sauces for your cheeseburgers, I’ll let you be the judge. Mayonnaise with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles is fantastic. On the other hand, so is mustard with the same toppings.
{Continued beneath the yum….}
Serve with crinkle cut fries, tater tots, or whatever floats your boat.
Random thought…. is there anything in the world that photographs more beautifully than crinkle cut fries? Aside from Jennifer Lopez, that is…
