Green Chili Burgers

My mom and I were watching Food Network last week and saw a Throwdown with Bobby Flay - the item? Green Chili Burgers. They sounded SOOO delicious we decided to try our hand at making these. The thing we did differently than either Bobby Flay or the restaurateur that he was challenging - we added green chilies to the meat itself. It makes a difference... maybe not enough to let me win the throwdown against the two but I doubt Bobby Flay will ever show up at my doorstep so I guess we'll never know. ;)

Green Chili Burgers

First start with a pound to a pound and a half of ground beef. I personally like lean ground beef - 80/20 is the lowest I go. For those of you who don't buy a lot of beef - it means there is 80% meat and 20% fat. This hamburger above is beef from my grandpa's ranch and ground at the butcher's shop. I don't rightly know the percentage of it - just saying.

This is an egg. Just in case you were wondering. It helps keep the beef together when you shape it into patties. It really does! Try it, you won't be disappointed!

Add egg and some salt and pepper to meat. Also add 3-4 Tbsp green chilies (I used them from a can.)

Mix together. Please use gloves to mix if you have any abrasions to your skin. You really don't want hamburger juice to get in them. (Hamburger juice just sounds better than blood, doesn't it?)

Next find an item in your kitchen that is roughly the size of the buns you will be using.

Use the lid/shaping object to shape the patties.

I like to have uniform patties... does that say something about me?

We'll just pretend it doesn't. PS the picture above is not with the green chilies in it. This was my chocolate burger - still trying to perfect it though!

Grill until thermometer reaches 160 degrees when inserted into meat. Please do not press your spatula down on the meat - it gets rid of the juices that help make the burger juicy. Also when the burger is about 140-150 degrees internally is a great time to add cheese to melt it on the burger.

While you are grilling the burgers you should also be grilling some green chilies. I used some Anaheim chile peppers and some jalapenos. The Anaheim peppers are not as spicy as the jalapenos - just saying. Once the green chilies are roasted, remove skins, open them up and deseed them. If you want a little more kick, leave some seeds. Cut them into strips. Assemble burger. If these land on the menu again - it's because they were absolutely delicious and writing about them is making me crave them again!

Assemble your burger... Oh I also made a wonderfully delicious green chili sauce - take 1/4 cup mayo, 2 oz cream cheese and 1 Tbsp green chiles - blend until combined. Spread over bun.

Enjoy!