We’ve been grilling burgers on the Big Green Egg for 20 years now, and we’re continually learning the cool things that can be done with the celebrated Hamburger. Turns out that a simple charcoal grilled hamburger can be a wonder to behold if you get the right sear, a perfectly done center, and the right toppings. While ketchup and mustard are long time staples for topping burgers, our caramelized onion aioli recipe is a winner if you’re looking for a creamier condiment!
For more in-depth discussion, see our post
Dizzy Pig’s Tips for Great Hamburgers
Burger
Caramelized Onion Aioli
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1 tsp Dizzy Pig Cow Lick beef rub
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Prepare Caramelized Onion Aioli (can be done in advance)
- Melt butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat.
- Add onions, Cow Lick seasoning, and sauté, turning occasionally for 20-30 minutes until onions are well caramelized.
- Transfer onions to bowl, and cool slightly to room temperature.
- Mix together the rest of aioli ingredients, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Grind beef (optional)
- Cut chuck roast (or preferred cut) into pieces that will fit in your grinder.
- Make sure meat is very cold for best results.
- Use coarse grinding plate and grind beef.
- Chill after grinding, before forming patties.
Prepare hamburgers
- Form burger patties from cold ground beef – make them larger than the bun, about ¾ inch thick. We used approximately 5-6 ounces per burger in this recipe.
- Press an indentation in the center to assure a flatter burger after cooking.
- For easy handling, place patties on a square of foil or parchment.
- Sprinkle with seasoning of choice – we used Dizzy Pig Cow Lick seasoning on these burgers.
- Refrigerate patties.
Grill hamburgers
- Prepare grill for direct cooking between 450°F and 500°F.
- Salt hamburgers just before grilling, and place them on grill.
- Brown and lightly char the first side, ideally in no more than 5-6 minutes. If your burgers are not browning quickly, increase your grill temperature.
- Once browned to your preference, carefully flip the burgers.
- The second side will cook quicker than the first. Depending on how you like your burgers, they may be done after 3-4 minutes.
- For commercial ground beef, the USDA recommends cooking to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill all bacteria. But 160°F is a fairly well-done burger. If you want a safe burger done medium (140-145°F) or medium rare (130-135°F), it’s really best to grind your own beef.
- Add cheese (if desired) the last minute of your cook.
- We recommend toasting the buns, which we do on the grill immediately after removing burgers, or while the cheese is melting.
- Build your burger however you like it! Our version has lettuce on the bottom bun, then the burger, the aioli, and topped with a slice of tomato, but the possibilities are endless.
