Ever since the first burger eaten at Au Cheval back in January, we have been back 4 times. This new spin on a classic diner is a fantastic spot located on the corner of Halsted and Randolph and way too close to work for our own good…. They have tons of beer and root beer on tap, updated spins on the classics including fried bologna sandwich, pork porterhouse, and the cheeseburger oh my, the burger- a perfect juicy balance of thin beef patties, gooey American cheese, a special sauce, extra pickles on a tender bun that melts in your mouth amazing. Not only do they offer fantastic homemade, made to order food, but the staff creates incredible music mixes that you can take a picture of ( see ours below!) In order to save our wallet from over indulgence in craft beer and amazing food, we got inspired this weekend to replicate THE BURGER at home. It came so close that we feel we can share, the beef patties may need to be par frozen and more thin than what we ended up with ( they shrink and fatten up as it cooks rather than staying über thin and slightly crisp on the outside and perfectly medium through the middles…)
Makes 2 Single Burgers ( a Single is 2 patties and a Double is 3- it just is)
1/2 lb 85% lean organic beef ( Whole Foods!)
Salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Horseradish Sauce prepared
1 tablespoon red onion, super duper finely diced
4 slices American Cheese
16 thinly sliced pickles, mild dill variety, we sliced a whole pickle very thinly- room temperature
2 Soft Hamburger Buns ( Whole Foods Bakery)
Divide beef in to 4 equal balls, flatten into rounds using parchment paper to 1/4″ thickness, sprinkle with salt. Get a stainless pan ready to go over medium high heat with the whole tablespoon of butter. When it is ready cook the burgers for 2 minutes, flip and put cheese on each patty, cover the pan and continue to cook/ melt for 2-3 additional minutes. Remove from pan and let rest while you assemble. Place buns cut side down into your pan ( turned off heat), they should just soak in a little butter and cooked meat juices, 2 -3 minutes with lid on to steam and warm up. Make the sauce: combine mayo, onion and horseradish in a small bowl. Spread evenly over top and bottom of each warmed bun. Stack two patties on each of the base buns, top them completely with pickle slices and then put on the top bun. Enjoy with a mixed green salad with a sherry vinaigrette.
Music:
Urban Kitchen Blog 