California Burger
What sets California burgers apart from the rest? Creamy slices of avocado, of course! But don’t overlook the juicy ground beef patties, melty Monterey Jack, and crispy bacon in this recipe either.
Servings: 4 burgers
Ingredients
For the Burger Patties:
- 1 pound lean ground beef (see note)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For Serving:
- 4 burger buns
- 4 slices Monterey Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)
- 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
- 1 large ripe tomato, sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 slices cooked bacon (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (see notes for alternative cooking methods).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Mix well until all the seasonings are evenly distributed but don’t overmix.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, more to taste, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions and shape them into burger patties, making sure they are slightly larger than the diameter of the burger buns to account for shrinkage during cooking.
- Place the burger patties on the preheated grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until they reach desired level of doneness (see notes). During the last minute of cooking, add a slice of cheese on top of each patty and allow it to melt.4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
- While the burgers are cooking, prepare the toppings. Toast the burger buns lightly on the grill or in a toaster.4 burger buns
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to create a creamy spread.2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, ¼ cup mayonnaise
- To assemble the burgers, spread the mayonnaise and Dijon mixture on the bottom half of each toasted burger bun. Place a leaf of green leaf lettuce on top, followed by a slice of tomato, a slice of cooked bacon (if using), a burger patty with melted cheese, sliced avocado, and thinly sliced red onion.4 leaves green leaf lettuce, 1 large ripe tomato, sliced, 1 ripe avocado, sliced, ½ red onion, thinly sliced, 4 slices cooked bacon
- Top each burger with the remaining half of the burger bun and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooking guidelines: For a well-done hamburger, the internal temperature should be 160ºF according to the USDA. There won’t be any pink in the center. The burger will continue to cook a bit after you take it out so if the internal temperature is 150ºF or above, it should be okay. Turkey burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF. We recommend cooking all ground meat in accordance with USDA recommendations.
- Meat choices: We tested the recipe with both 85% lean and 92% lean ground beef and found them to be very similar. Choose what you like best. Nutrition information is based on 85% lean ground beef. We also tested this recipe with ground turkey and it worked well. Choose 85/15 if using turkey; leaner choices tend to be too dry.
- Air Fry: Air fry burgers at 380ºF for 14 minutes or until fully cooked, flipping halfway through cooking time. Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.
- Broil: Place oven rack 5 to 6 inches from broiler and preheat broiler on high. Broil burgers for 8 minutes, flip, and broil for other 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through. Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.
- Pan Fry: Heat frying pan over medium-low heat. Add about 1 tablespoon oil and place burgers in pan. Cook for 8 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1burger with bun and toppings | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 982mg | Potassium: 800mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1.724IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 5mg
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