(Cooking Light) -- Summer means outdoor activities and more cookouts, so it also means more hamburgers.
But a good burger doesn't have to be oversized or loaded up with condiments to be tasty. Here's a recipe that cuts the fat but brings out the flavor.
Two secrets to the perfect burger are contained in this recipe: Salt the meat and let rest so the salt can penetrate, and shape lightly into patties that just barely hold together for a tender final product.
A horseradish-mustard-mayo-ketchup sauce and bacon-caramelized onion relish for toppings don't hurt, either.
These take a bit longer than your standard burger, but the magnificent results are worth it.
Ingredients
Serving size: Four burgers
Patties: 1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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Horseradish spread:
1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons ketchup
Relish:
2 applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped
3 cups vertically sliced yellow onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Other ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
4 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices
1 cup shredded lettuce
Preparation
(About 70 minutes)
1. To prepare the patties, divide beef into four portions, lightly shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. To prepare horseradish spread, combine mayonnaise and next three ingredients (through ketchup) in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. To prepare relish, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown. Combine bacon, onion mixture, chives, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook two minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
5. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish spread on cut sides of each bun half.
6. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 patty, 1/4 cup relish, 1 tomato slice, 1/4 cup lettuce, and top half of bun.
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Nutritional Information
Calories: 351
Fat: 12g (sat 3.5g, mono 3.4g, poly 3.2g)
Protein: 29.2g
Carbohydrate: 32.7g
Fiber: 3g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 3.7mg
Sodium: 788mg
Calcium: 91mg
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