A meaty, juicy cheeseburger stands on its own, but deck out that burger with everyone’s favorite breakfast foods and it’s over-the-top in all the right ways.
Recipe Spotlight
Burgers for Breakfast? Yes—And Here's How
The perfect burgers for early Sunday morning, late Saturday night, and anytime in between.
By Published Mar. 24, 2022.
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For our Brunch Burger recipe there’s a fried egg on there, yes, and crispy bacon, of course, but how about imbuing the patty itself with breakfast flavor?
Mixing breakfast sausage in with ground beef ensures savory porkiness and extra flavor in every bite. (For food safety, you’ll have to cook the patty through to well-done, but don’t worry: The extra fat from the sausage ensures that the patty stays moist and juicy.)
Here's how you make the patties:
Brunch Burger Patties
Makes 4 patties
- 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
- 8 ounces bulk breakfast sausage
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or bacon fat)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
- Combine ground beef and sausage in large bowl and knead with your hands until roughly combined. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions, then shape each portion into 4½-inch-wide patty. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty to create slight divot. (Patties can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Heat oil (or bacon fat) in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper.
- Transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip patties, top with cheddar, and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes longer.
- Transfer burgers to paper towel–lined plate.
Mixing breakfast sausage in with ground beef ensures savory porkiness and extra flavor in every bite.
For full brunch impact, though, you’ll need some sweetness: Spiking mayonnaise with maple syrup provides a sugary hit that cuts through the richness and adds an unmistakable breakfast-y taste. A dollop of minced chipotle chile brings smoky heat to enliven the heavier components.
Toasted brioche buns tie it all together, their eggy sweetness complementing the other ingredients perfectly. (And for even more breakfast flavor and a welcome crunch, try coating the buns with everything bagel seasoning!)
So is it breakfast or dinner? Yes. Don’t think too hard about it. It’s good, it’s fun, and it will be welcome at your table no matter the time of day. Click below for full the recipe.
Brunch Burgers
The perfect burgers for early Sunday morning, late Saturday night, and any time in between.Get the Recipe
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