Grilled Cheddar Burgers with Pickled Red Onion and Tomato
Juicy grilled beef patties with melted cheddar, crisp lettuce, and a sharp tomato and red onion topping, all piled into toasted buns. A high-protein barbecue dinner with a fresh, crunchy finish.
- Total
- 37 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 12 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Grilling · Resting meat
- Savory
- Barbecue
Instructions
-
Thinly slice the tomato and the red onion into rounds. Separate the lettuce into 4 leaves and pat them dry. Put the onion slices in a small bowl with the olive oil and a pinch of the salt, toss to coat, and set aside.
~8 min
Salting the onion draws out moisture and softens its sharp bite, while the oil coats and carries flavor.
-
Divide the ground beef into 4 equal balls and flatten each into a patty about 1.5 cm thick, slightly wider than the buns. Season both sides with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
~6 min
A shallow dimple in the center prevents the patty from doming as the meat contracts during grilling.
Make a shallow dimple in the center of each raw patty with your thumb; the beef contracts as it grills, so the dimple keeps the cooked burger flat instead of domed.
-
Light the barbecue and let it burn until the coals are covered in grey ash and you can hold your hand 10 cm above the grate for only 2 to 3 seconds. Oil the grate with a little of the olive oil on a folded paper towel held with tongs.
~6 min
The ash and hand-test gauge when the coals are at a steady high heat, so the patties sear instead of steam.
Grilling Build a hot, clean zone and don't move the patties until they release easily; flipping too early tears the crust and dries the burger.
-
Place the patties on the grate over direct heat and grill without moving them for 4 minutes, until a dark crust forms and they release easily. Flip once with the spatula and grill 4 minutes more, until the center reaches 71°C/160°F.
~8 min
A dark crust forms through the Maillard reaction, and the 71°C/160°F center ensures the ground beef is safely cooked.
Grilling Build a hot, clean zone and don't move the patties until they release easily; flipping too early tears the crust and dries the burger.
-
Lay a slice of cheddar on each patty, close the lid, and cook 1 minute until the cheese melts. Move the patties to a plate. Put the buns cut side down on the grate and toast 1 to 2 minutes until golden at the edges.
~3 min
Closing the lid traps heat to melt the cheese, and toasting the buns gives a crisp barrier against juices.
Grilling Build a hot, clean zone and don't move the patties until they release easily; flipping too early tears the crust and dries the burger.
-
Set a lettuce leaf on each toasted bun base, add a patty with its melted cheddar, then the tomato slices, the dressed red onion, and 2 pickle slices. Cap with the bun tops and rest 5 minutes before serving.
~5 min
Resting meat Let the burgers rest 5 minutes before serving so juices redistribute; cutting in immediately lets them run out and dry the meat.