California Burger
What sets California burgers apart from the rest? Creamy slices of avocado, of course! But don’t overlook the juicy ground beef patties, melty Monterey Jack, and crispy bacon (optional) in this recipe either.
INGREDIENTS
For the Burger Patties:
• 2 teaspoons (8g) active dry yeast or instant yeast
•Pinch of sugar
•1 cup (225g) plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
•3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
•2 tablespoons (25g) olive oil
•1 ¼ teaspoons (8g) kosher salt
For Serving:
• 4 burger buns
• 4 slices Monterey Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
• 1 large ripe tomato, sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 slices cooked bacon (optional)
Directions
For the Burger Patties:
1. Preheat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Mix well until all the seasonings are evenly distributed but don’t overmix.
3. Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions and shape them into burger patties, making sure they are slightly larger than the diameter of the burger buns to account for shrinkage during cooking.
4. Place the burger patties on the preheated grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until they reach desired level of doneness.
5. During the last minute of cooking, add a slice of cheese on top of each patty and allow it to melt.
6. Toast the buns on the grill if desired.
7. While the burgers are cooking, prepare the toppings.
For the Burger Spread:
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to create a creamy spread.
Assemble the Burgers:
1. Spread the mayonnaise and Dijon mixture on the bottom half of each toasted burger bun.
2. Place a leaf of green leaf lettuce on top, followed by a slice of tomato, a slice of cooked bacon (if using), a burger patty with melted cheese, sliced avocado, and thinly sliced red onion.
3. Top each burger with the remaining half of the burger bun and serve immediately.