Smokey Q Beetroot Burger

Beef Burger Seasoned With SmokeyQ Fierce Bull Coffee Rub, Beetroot Relish, Cheese, Onion, Mcclure's Pickles And Mayo All On A Brioche Bun.

One of the keys to making great tasting beef burgers is freshly ground mince. If you have a mincer at home or a mincer attachment for a kitchen appliance then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

We have a mincer attachment on our Kenwood Mixer and use the coarse 8mm plate when making burger mince. If you don’t have one source the best mince from your butcher or even better, ask them to grind it up there and then. Try to avoid store bought mince simply for the fact you have no idea what part of the animal the mince has come from and what the fat ratio is. Plus it usually tastes rubbish.

Simply put, coffee is a natural flavour enhancer. The acidity and bitterness of coffee works a treat on the savoury taste of beef. When combined with other spices that flavour is enhanced even further. Of course the balance of the spices needs to be right and that's where the Fierce Bull Coffee Rub comes into play with the additional flavours of salt, brown sugar, black pepper, smoke paprika, garlic, onion and cumin.

The sweetness of the beetroot relish works to cut through the savoury flavour of the beef and coffee. The first time you use the relish err on the conservative side. As with all condiments in a burger whether it be ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce you don't want to overpower the burger patty. The patty is the key ingredient, everything else is complimentary.

Ingredients for the smokey q beetroot burger

for the burger

• Coarsely minced chuck steak (25% fat)
• SmokeyQ Fierce Bull Coffee Rub
• Beetroot relish - ingredients and directions below
• White onion slices
• McClure's Sweet and Spicy Pickles*
• Mayo
• Brioche buns

for the relish

• 750g beetroot
• 1 red onion
• 500ml balsamic vinegar
• 250ml water
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 420g brown sugar
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 5cm piece of orange rind
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

for the beetroot relish

1. Peel and finely chop beetroot and red onion in a food processor.
2. Grind cloves, sea salt and peppercorns until they form a fine consistency.
3. Heat olive oil in large pot, then fry mustard seeds until they start popping.
4. Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 hours until the beetroot is soft and the liquid has reduced and thickened.
6. Remove orange peel and pour into sterilised jars.

for the burger

1. Roll your patties to the size you want (I usually aim for 175g), handling them as little as possible. 'Lightly rub with a small amount of olive oil or mayonnaise then season with Fierce Bull Coffee Rub just before cooking. Patties can be cooked in a variety of ways – on a griddle, on a gas cooker or for the best result... over charcoal. If you're cooking direct over a high heat or using the reverse sear method do so until you reach your level of doneness. For us it's medium (63c/145f). 
2. Add the cheese to the patty about a minute before taking off the heat.
3. Allow the patties to rest whilst you lightly toast the buns.
4. Then comes the fun part! Building and eating you burger. Spread the beetroot relish over the bottom bun, add the patty with cheese, top with onion and pickles and finish with the top bun spread with mayo.

Enjoy your beef and beetroot burger!

*If you haven't tried McClure's pickles then you're missing out! They are that good you can eat them straight out of the jar. They are available in store along with the full SmokeyQ range. The burgers were cooked on the Weber Kettle and the internal temperature of the patties was read using a Thermoworks Thermapen. All these products are available at both our stores.

Photos and recipe by Messy Benches. Visit www.messybenches.com