By Kipp Rix
I am truly a big fan of burgers, and you can find me at the grill year-round despite rain or snow; but nothing really signifies the start of burger season more than Memorial Day and the official start of summer. Each year, I strive to create a new burger for my collection. This year I have the FHC Burger. What makes this burger so special, you ask? Well simply, it is the meats I use to make the burger along with the flavors brought out by the use of the blue cheese, fried onions, and bacon. For this burger, I have combined two kinds of meat for the grinding, rib-eye steak and pork shoulder. I grind the meat to a consistency of 80/20, being mindful of the need to be healthy but also retaining the requirement for a juicy burger. Rib eye is my preferred cut of steak because of the full flavor of the beef when grilled, and I like the pork shoulder because it retains moisture when cooked. This is the best mixture of meat I have ever tried; I’m currently working on a recipe to use this grind in a 70/30 mixture to make our Fire House Beer Brats. This burger is designed, as I like them, minimalist; I’m not a big fan of overloading a specialty burger with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and all the other extras people cram on an ordinary backyard burger.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
1 pound rib-eye steak (all excess fat trimmed from the meat)
1 pound pork shoulder meat
¾ pound pork fat
12 slices thick-slice black peppered bacon (cooked crisp)
2 large sweet yellow onions
6 burger buns
6 slices pepper jack cheese
All-purpose flour
Sea salt
Course ground black pepper
Cooking Directions
If you do not have a meat grinder, you should be able to get the butcher at your food market to help you. I usually get 10-15 pounds ground at a time and then divide and freeze for future use. As noted, trim the fat from the rib eye and discard; grind the beef, pork shoulder, and pork fat to a medium grind.
Season the meat with salt and pepper, going light on the salt; salt will draw out the moisture in the meat and can make the burgers dry when cooked. I like to add the salt post cooking. Also, do not overpack the burger, as this will also make the patty dense and less moist; form the patties and refrigerate for an hour or so to help firm them up prior to cooking. Try and only flip the patties once during cooking; this will also aid in the retention of moisture and will help keep them from falling apart.
While the burgers are resting in the refrigerator, slice the onion into thin 1/8 inch slices and toss into flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Toss the onions to lightly coat with the flour and place in a skillet and hot oil; fry the onions until browned and crisp. Remove onions to a paper towel and allow onions to drain. Cook bacon until well crisped and allow bacon to drain with the onions. OK, I know some of you will gasp at the thought, but I actually use the bacon drippings to cook the onions in. I like the added flavor and hey, both my grandparents used bacon drippings all the time and by some miracle they lived past their 80s.
Place burgers on a grill that has been preheated to high; lower cooking temperature to medium high and allow to cook 3-5 minutes per side, cook to medium well. Unlike the picture, for the last few minutes on the grill I will place the onion, bacon, and top with the pepper jack cheese and allow it to melt over the top of the burger. Top with any condiments you like.
Kipp Rix has been in the fire service for 19 years working as both a career and volunteer fire fighter in New Mexico. Kipp started cooking at the age of 10 and learned his early skills watching shows like the Galloping Gourmet and Julia Child. Throughout the years, Kipp refined his skills with a focus on grilling foods with a southwestern flair. In 2009 Fire House Publications, LLC released the first of Kipp’s two cook books with the second book released in 2011; a portion of the proceeds from the books helps fund Fire Kids. Kipp’s philosophy of fire house cooking is “Just because you work in a busy house does not mean that you have to settle for ordinary cooking, a crew’s attitude is directly related to the meals served!” Each of Kipp’s recipes has been Fire House tested and approved. Please email krix@fhpllc.net with a crew picture enjoying this recipe along with your review; each month one entry will be selected to receive a signed copy of one of my cook books. In 2013 Kipp founded Fire Kids, an organization that works with New Mexico children’s agencies and other organizations like the Make A Wish Foundation, of New Mexico to identify children facing a life altering or terminal illness; working with local municipal agencies and fire departments Fire Kids affords these children an opportunity to live the life of a fire fighter for a day. Complete information can be found on our Fire Kids web page.
