Philly Cheesesteak Burger

Sometimes in life, you get a craving that won't go away until you satisfy it. It nags at you constantly like a siren's songs calling you to the rocks. You know you shouldn't. You know it's bad for you. But you can't help yourself. You awaken with a shot in a foggy dream-like haze. You're in a well-used kitchen, dirty pots and pans surround you. The smell of cooked onion and ground beef fills your sinuses. You feel a weight in your right hand. Your eyes glance down as your hand lifts a burger to your mouth. You see it happening in slow motion. You feel yourself take that first bite, fighting the urges. "No!" You say quietly to yourself. "I'm a good boy." but you can't stop yourself. Before you know it, you are left with nothing but grease-covered hands and a dumb satisfied look on your face. Was it a dream? Was it a nightmare? No. It was a Philly Cheesesteak Burger. Craving satisfied. Let's get to it.

The Burger Patties

All joking aside, this Philly Cheesesteak Burger is wicked good. The patties are a combination of cooked onion, ground beef, garlic, salt and pepper. They are cooked in a pan, topped with fried mushrooms and onions, and provolone cheese. The burger is finished with a little mayonnaise and barbecue sauce, and a delicious bun. Yes, it is as good as it sounds. The first step in making these burgers is to cook some onions.

Onions

Dice one onion. You want about a cup of onion in total. Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon or two of oil (canola or olive). Add a quarter teaspoon of Kosher salt to the onions and cook until they soften and start to brown. Add two tablespoons of beef stock to the pan and cook until it has completely evaporated. Take the onions out of the pan, spread them out onto a plate and put them in the fridge to cool for ten to fifteen minutes.

Mixing The Meat

Use one pound (454 g) of lean ground beef. Not extra lean. The burgers will be way to dry. Add the cooked and cooled onions, half a teaspoon of Kosher salt, a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, and a teaspoon of minced garlic. Mix well.

Forming The Patties

Line your cutting board with plastic wrap. Divide the meat into four evenly sized portions. Take one portion and flatten it into a patty. Place the flattened meat on your plastic-covered cutting board and continue to flatten it until it is one centimetre thick. Cup your hands around the patty to make it circular. Repeat with the rest of the meat. If the meat is sticking to your hands, wet your hands with cold water before shaping the next burger. Put the burgers and plastic wrap on a plate and put it in the fridge for ten minutes to firm up a little bit. You can leave the burgers in the fridge, covered for up to two days before cooking them.

Mushrooms and Onions

While the burgers are in the fridge, slice two cups of cremini mushrooms and two cups of onion. Heat a frying pan on medium-high, then add in a tablespoon of oil. Put the mushrooms and onions in the pan and cook for three to four minutes or until the onions start to soften. Add half a cup of beef stock and cook until it is fully evaporated.

Cooking The Burgers

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in a teaspoon or two of oil, then the burgers. I only cooked two burgers because there were only two of us. The other two burgers were left in the fridge for later enjoyment. Cook the burgers for four to five minutes per side, or until the juices run clear when the burger is pressed in the middle.

Finishing The Philly Cheesesteak Burger

Top the burgers with onions and mushrooms and provolone cheese. Pour two to three tablespoons of beef stock or water into the bottom of the pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid for a minute or until the cheese is melted. Toast the burger buns, then spread a teaspoon of mayonnaise on the bottom and a teaspoon of barbecue sauce on the top. Put the burgers on the buns and enjoy.

Alternative Recipe

It is common for a Philly Cheesesteak to have Cheese Whiz on it. Truth be told, that's what I was craving, but I don't typically have Cheese Whiz in the house becasue if I do, I eat the whole bottle. I know it's gross, I get. But, it's one of those things. If you want something really special, get rid of the provolone, and add a few tablespoons of Cheese Whiz to the mushrooms and onions once they're cooked. Spoon the mushroom, onion, and Cheese Whiz mixture over the burger, and enjoy. If you are going to go the Cheese Whiz route, you can get rid of the mayo and barbecue sauce or keep them. That's up to you.

The Wrap Up

I think we've all had cravings that just won't go away. Thankfully, this burger satisfied a craving that I've been having for weeks. If you like Philly Cheese Steaks, I think you will really like this burger. In fact, if you like burgers at all, you are really going to like this burger. I certainly did. What is a food craving you get that won't go away until it has been satisfied?

I can finally announce that I have written a cookbook. It’s called the 5-Ingredient Cookbook for men (of course, it is for everyone). It officially goes on sale on March 16th, but you can preorder it now from Amazon in Canada here, and Amazon in the US here.

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