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SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER BURGERS

From: Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Grilling
by Don Mauer

Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 13 to 16 minutes
Serving size: 1 hamburger

Ingredients

• 2 TB. bacon grease or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 (15-oz.) can retried beans
• 1 1/2 Ib. ground chuck (or 80 percent lean ground beef)
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 8 slices sourdough bread
• 1 large tomato, rinsed, cored, and thickly sliced
• 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
 

Directions

1. Fire up the grill:

For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom vents. Ignite 6 quarts or 2 1/2 pounds charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal. When the coals are hot, set up for a two-level fire: one side high heat (so you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the cooking rack only 1 to 2 seconds), and the other medium heat (so you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above cooking rack only 4 to 5 seconds).

For a gas grill: Turn each burner to high and ignite. Cover the grill. When hot, leave half the burners on high heat, and set the other half on medium heat.

2. Place a large skillet over medium heat, and heat bacon grease. Add 1/4 cup onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add retried beans, and simmer until heated through. Keep warm.

3. Place ground chuck in a large mixing bowl along with remaining 1/2 cup chopped onion, breadcrumbs, green chilies, beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, cumin, and chili powder. With clean hands, lightly mix seasonings into meat. Gently shape into 4 (1/2-to 3/4-inch-thick) patties, being careful not to press too hard.

4. Grill burgers, uncovered, over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side. On a charcoal grill: move burgers to medium heat, and grill for 10 to 12 minutes total, turning every 30 seconds to 1 minute, until medium-done (155°F). On a gas grill: move burgers to medium heat, and grill 6 to 7 minutes, covered. Turn and grill 6 to 7 minutes more, covered, until medium-done (155°F). Remove burgers from the grill, and let rest for 5 minutes.

5. While hamburgers rest, lightly toast sourdough bread slices on high heat, about 1 to 2 minutes. Place hamburgers on 1/2 toasted sourdough, top each with 1 scoop retried beans, add tomato slice and then avocado slice on top of beans. Top with remaining toasted bread slice, and serve immediately.