Step 1 is to not overthink it. Don’t get crazy on your beef patty, get crazy on your bun and spread! You don’t need to mix in bacon or marinate for 48 hours in manatee tears, all you need is a high quality ground beef with between 20%-30% fat. Remember the classic chef’s mantra: fat is flavor. Add only course salt and lots of fresh pepper to the meat. When you form patties – by hand! – don’t beat them to death or violently squeeze them together. Instead, grab a handful of beef and gently pinch/pull the edges into a patty shape. The thinner you get the middle the better because when beef cooks, it shrinks. This kind of shrinkage will ensure your burger will not fall apart. And when you’re cooking it, for the love of god only flip it once! Your mother told you years ago not to manhandle your meat…

Now choosing a bun is akin to choosing the house your meat family is going to live in. There are different kinds for different burgers. With this kind of juicy, high-fat burger you’ll need something substantial that won’t fall apart in your hand. A pretzel bun is a great way to go, but any hardy loaf will do.

It’s time to let your personality shine with the spread. You’re going to do better than ketchup (catsup?) and mayo. You can go In-N-Out style, or Asian weirdness, but my personal favorite is a handmade garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro aeoli. Make your own mayonnaise – it’s much easier than you think – or grab a store-bought tub, then mix in chopped jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro until it has the bumpy consistency of oatmeal. You’ll be tasting garlic the next morning, guaranteed.

You can add cheese if you like, but it will likely be overpowered by the spread so we don’t bother. Instead, top it off with 2 leafs of a god bib or green leaf lettuce – never iceberg – and other veggies of your choice. You’ve just made a tasty burger that will make you the king of summer.

The Best Hamburger Recipe For This Summer:

2 lbs of ground beef with 20%-30% fat content

2 tbsp course salt

5 tbsp fresh ground pepper

1 head of green leaf lettuce

1 red onion

2 tomatoes

8 pretzel buns or ciabatta rolls

2 cups of mayonnaise (try making your own!)

1 bunch of cilantro

2 heads of garlic

2 jalapenos

1/2 lemon

Makes approx. 8 hamburgers

• Evenly mix beef, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Form approx 8 patties by grabbing a small handful of ground beef and pinching it apart until it is larger than your chosen bun by 1/2 inch in diameter (the burger will shrink down). Place patties on hot grill, flip only once when juices collect on the top. Cook to desired doneness, med-rare is recommended.
• While meat is cooking, chop handfulls of cilantro and cloves of garlic, and remove the seeds from the jalapenos before chopping. Slowly mix in portions of these to your mayonnaise until it has a visibly chunky, oatmeal-like consistency. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 a lemon to round out the flavor. Taste-test often to achieve your desired level of garlic. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 a lemon.
• When meat is finished cooking, butter the cut side of your buns and place on the grill. Place a soaking wet rolled-up towel in the BBQ with the buns and close the lid. This steam will ensure that the buns do not dry out. When the buns are blackened, remove and assemble your tasty burgers!

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In the dead center of DTSA lies the 4^th Street Market, a patio where foodies can rejoice. From craft beer, ice cream sandwiches and tacos, this indoor and outdoor food court has everything you want to eat. This past week I was invited to try their newest addition to the court, Pig Pen Delicacy, a savory take on American comfort food. Now if you love bacon and pork, this place is a must try. I got the chance to have their Maple Bacon Jam burger, which consisted of a medium cooked patty, Havarti cheese, caramelized onions, onion strings topped with chive aioli sauce and bacon jam. Now I don’t know what exactly bacon jam is but I would definitely have it again because if could define the burger in one word I’d have to go with umami. You can never go wrong with a savory burger. With every great burger to be eaten, there needs to be great fries to pair and these fries are far from disappointing. Every single fry was crispy at every bite. Though what I wish I had tried before they sold out were their Crispy Pork Belly Fries topped with a fried egg. I mean look at the pictures of it on their Instagram. You can count on me coming back for that.

Pork belly fries topped with an egg #PigPenDelicacy | : @jessicamtl

A photo posted by Go HAM (@pigpendelicacy) on Feb 26, 2016 at 7:54pm PST

For those of you too manly to want traditional dessert from around the market, Pig Pen Delicacy has you covered with their candied bacon. A brown sugar caramelized bacon strip with spices will fulfill your needs.

If you’re in the area be sure to give this place a try before you explore all the other food places down this strip. You won’t be disappointed.

Pig Pen Delicacy

201 E 4th St Santa Ana, CA 92701

The post Bacon and Pork Lovers Unite in Downtown Santa Ana appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

1 lb. Colorado lamb, ground
1 1/2 cups Bulgur wheat
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tbsp. mint, dried and crushed
1 tbsp. chervil, dried
1 medium onion, grated

Soak Bulgur wheat in hot water for 10 minutes, drain well and squeeze out excess water. In a large stainless bowl combine wheat, lamb and seasonings and knead together. Add grated onion and mix well. Portion into four 4 oz. burgers and grill to desired temperature. Serve with hummus and pita bread.

Enjoy with a Colorado wine. I’d recommend a glass of Élevé (a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Viognier), from Snowy Peaks Winery in Estes Park, Colorado.

The post Easter Colorado Lamb Burger appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.