10ozsirloin steak tips, cut into 1-inch chunks (can also use flank steak)
6ozbeef short ribs(boneless), cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1tablespoonunsalted butter
4each hamburger buns, soft
1/2teaspoonvegetable oil
4slicesslices American cheese
1 onion, thinly sliced
1recipe Classic Burger Sauce(see below)
Instructions
make the sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
make the burgers
Place beef chunks on baking sheet in single layer, leaving 1/2 inch of space around each chunk. Freeze meat until very firm and starting to harden around edges but still pliable, 15 to 25 minutes.
Place half of meat in food processor* and pulse until meat is coarsely ground, 10 to 15 one-second pulses, stopping and redistributing meat around bowl as necessary to ensure beef is evenly ground. Transfer meat to baking sheet, overturning bowl and without directly touching meat. Repeat grinding with remaining meat. Spread meat over sheet and inspect carefully, discarding any long strands of gristle or large chunks of hard meat or fat.
Gently separate ground meat into 4 equal mounds. Without picking meat up, with your fingers gently shape each mound into loose patty 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter, leaving edges and surface ragged. Season top of each patty with salt and pepper. Using spatula, flip patties and season other side. Refrigerate while toasting buns.
Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add bun tops, cut-side down, and toast until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining butter and bun bottoms. Set buns aside and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
Return skillet to high heat; add oil and heat until just smoking. Using spatula, transfer burgers to skillet and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Using spatula, flip burgers over and cook for 1 minute. Top each patty with slice of cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute longer.
Transfer patties to bun bottoms and top with onion. Spread 2 teaspoons of burger sauce on each bun top. Cover burgers and serve immediately.
Notes
* I used this recipe as an excuse to purchase a food grinder attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer. (Although, really, I can justify the purchase of just about anything. "Oh, look! It's raining! Time to buy a food grinder." See the logic there? I thought you would.) I had some issues grinding the fatty rib meat [next time, Karen, don't just read the directions in the box, follow them], but otherwise, I think the combo of these two meats made for one heck of a burger. You just can't buy ground beef like this at the big box groceries.