Enchilada Burgers

I am fully aware that my enchilada obsession is nearly out-of-control right now.  I just can’t stop making homemade sauce.  And I can’t stop thinking of ways to use it, other than the obvious.

And it is summer, after all, which translates to grilling season, which actually translates to burger season.  So of course that would mean that my new-found Mexican favorite should surely meet summer’s favorite to create the most obvious, yet amazingly flavorful burger that I’ve ever made – the Enchilada Burger!  (In case you hadn’t guessed that already!)

So let me tell you how this enchilada burger came to be.  When Noshon.it first started talking about #BurgerWeek, I actually had a meatloaf burger in mind..  I adore a good meatloaf but my meatloaf recipe really is nothing special so I felt kind of “meh” about turning it into a burger.  And then a couple of weeks ago, under the trance of finding out I, in fact, love enchiladas, I made enchilada pasta.  And then the leftovers were gone too quickly and I was craving more.  So I bought more of the ingredients with intentions to make more pasta, but then I remembered I still needed a burger recipe for this week.  And there was the lightbulb.  Enchilada sauce + ground beef + some seasonings, cheese & avocado = my new summer obsession.

A few tips: don’t cook these burgers for a first date – they are messy; if you plan on feeding them to kids you might play around with the spices – these definitely have a kick; however, if you need more of a kick, use some pepper jack cheese!

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Enchilada Burgers

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30 min

Mexican food-inspired sloppy burgers with homemade enchilada sauce, green chiles, and ground beef, and topped with cheese, cilantro, green onions and fresh avocado...you won't even miss the tortilas!

Ingredients:

for the enchilada sauce:
2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
4 Tbs. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbs. tomato paste

for the burgers:
1 pound ground sirloin
2 Tbs. chopped green chiles (I used about 1/2 of one small can)
2 green onions, chopped + more for garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + more for garnish
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup homemade enchilada sauce (see above & below)
1/4 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced (or use another variety to your liking)
4 burger buns
1 avocado, thinly sliced

Directions:

for the sauce:
Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes to let the flour cook out a bit. Whisk often. Add the seasonings and stir well to combine with the roux. Add the stock and stir until all of the seasonings are distributed. Whisk in the tomato paste and cook for 7-8 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. (The sauce will thicken more as it sits.)

for the burgers:
Mix the ground sirloin, green chiles, green onions, cilantro and spices together until mixed. Add the enchilada sauce and stir until distributed. Add 1/4 cup of panko and mix in (I used my hands), and add additional panko until the mixture is a consistency where it holds together. Divide the mixture evenly to create four patties.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons (not too much!) oil. Place the burger patties in the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, until browned. Flip and cook on the second side until the burger is cooked to your desired doneness. I did about 4 additional minutes. Top each patty with cheese and loosely cover the pan until the cheese is melted.

Serve the cooked patties on the buns and top with extra enchilada sauce, avocado slices and additional cilantro & green onions as desired.

Do you want to become a grilling pro? Need a new grill? #BurgerWeek sponsor Broil King wants to give you the chance to win one of their high-performance gas grills (a $549+tax value) plus burger grilling accessories to use in your home!

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Don’t miss a few other burger lovers who are also posting today:

Chipotle Black Bean Freekeh Sliders with Avocado Lime Crema from The Corner Kitchen
Bibim Bap Burger from Kimchi Mom
Barbecue Onion Burger from Very Culinary
Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce from The Lemon Bowl
Salmon Cake Sliders from Completely Delicious
Bacon-and-Egg Cheese Breakfast Burgers from Boulder Locavore
Jalapeno + Cheddar Burger with Charred Corn Mayo from Simply Scratch
Hatch Chili Burgers from The Little Ferraro Kitchen

And for a full listing of this week’s burger-mania, check out the #BurgerWeek landing page at NoshOn.It.