Recipe & Photos courtesy of John Elwin
With the summer months meaning more and more people spending time outdoors, the use of outdoor grills has become a popular means of cooking fresh and delicious meals whilst enjoying some fresh air away from the confines of the kitchen.
An outdoor grill is a great and fun way of cooking and there’s plenty of choice available of suitable grills to meet most budgets, from disposable one-use grills for a couple of people to all-encompassing gas grills that can cater for and cook a large amount of food at one time for a number of people.
Most things can be cooked on a grill, from lamb chops and chicken to burgers and sausages, and with a little imagination great recipes and food twists can be incorporated into the menu with a little preparation.
Here’s an easy favorite recipe to try the next time you break out the grill, adding a little bite to an ever-popular burger.
US Wellness Meats Shopping List: Ground Beef 85% Lean, Cheese, Bacon
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
For the burger:
500 g (1 lb) lean ground beef;
6 rashers (slices) of bacon;
1-2 tbsp chili powder according to desired heat;
0.5 tbsp garlic powder;
Salt and pepper
For the salsa:
1 small can of chopped tomatoes;
1 onion finely chopped;
Tabasco sauce or equivalent
Other requirements
Aluminum foil, saucepan, burger buns, salad garnish, cheese
METHOD TO MAKE THE BURGER
Heat the grill to a medium heat; mix well together in a bowl the ground beef along with the chili powder and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add some greens if you wish.
Once mixed together, form the mixture into patties and gently wrap a rasher of bacon around the patty. Place each patty onto the preheated grill, turning frequently to ensure even cooking and that the beef is fully cooked through.
Alternatively, place the bacon on a strip of aluminum foil and cook separately on the grill. While the burgers are cooking prepare the burger salsa as instructed. The salsa can be made ahead of time on a stove, or on the grill at the same time.
METHOD TO MAKE THE SALSA
Gently heat the chopped tomatoes in a saucepan, stirring frequently and add the chopped onion and tabasco sauce to the desired taste. Once warmed through, drain the tomatoes of excess liquid until only the tomato pulp remains.
Lightly toast the burger buns on the grill before putting together the burger. Salad garnish is an optional extra to add; spread a little of the garnish on the burger bun and then place a patty on top.
Spread a little of the salsa directly onto the burger and top with a rasher of bacon if the bacon has been cooked separately.
Then, to top off the burger add a cheese slice or a little grated cheese. Also there is the option to spread a little more salsa on the other half of the toasted burger bun if desired for some additional taste. A simple recipe but a tasty one that you’ll try time and again.
This burger recipe can be made on any grill, whether charcoal or gas or otherwise so it doesn’t matter. A charcoal grill will even give the flavor an extra dimension!
Deciding on which recipes to create on a grill can be difficult as there’s so much choice, while recipes can be tweaked and adapted to suit all tastes. Similarly, there is a wide range of grills to choose from simple disposable one-use charcoal grills to outstanding gas grills that can cater for a large number of people.
But whatever grill is decided upon, perhaps the biggest problem will be deciding what to cook on the grill with so much choice and versatility.
Meet The Chef
John Elwin
John is a freelance writer, cat lover and chef to two young children. Grilling is his passion ever since his early childhood when his father organized stunning backyard BBQ parties.
