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Seared Burgers with Easy-Melting Comté Cheese Slices
[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
Note: This recipe will work with any aged, semi-hard cheese like Comté, Cheddar, or Tomme.
Seared Burgers with Easy-Melting Comté Cheese Slices
About This Recipe
| Yield: | makes 2 burgers |
| Active time: | 15 minutes |
| Total time: | 15 minutes |
| This recipe appears in: | The Burger Lab: How To Make Any Cheese Melt Like American (Almost) |
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coarsely grated aged Comté cheese (see note)
- 1 teaspoon instant flour (like Wondra)
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces of freshly ground beef, formed into two 4-ounce balls
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 toasted hamburger buns
- Toppings and condiments as desired
Procedures
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1
Combine cheese, flour, and milk in a small bowl and toss with a spoon to combine. Divide mixture evenly between two small ramekins and set aside. Set a steamer insert into a large saucepot with 1 inch of water. Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat and cover pot.
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2
Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until smoking. Add beef balls to skillet and smash firmly with a stiff spatula into 4- to 4 1/2-inch patties. Season generously with salt and pepper.
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3
While patties cook on first side, transfer cheese cups to steamer and close lid. After the first side is well browned (about 1 1/2 minutes), carefully scrape patties up from bottom us skillet using a stiff spatula and flip. Season top side with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until second side is browned, about 1 minute longer.
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4
Transfer patties to toasted bun bottoms. Carefully pick up a ramekin full of cheese with a pot holder and stir with a spoon until homogenous and completely smooth. Scrape cheese out of ramekin over burger. Repeat with second burger. Serve immediately with condiments and toppings as desired.
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