Deep-Fried Spicy Buffalo Burger

Pairs well with:

Gewurztraminer

Hard to pronounce yet easy to drink, this wine combines lychee fruit and white peach flavors with a hint of spice.

Ingredients

Celery Root Slaw:
2 medium celery roots (if not available, use 3 stalks celery, strings removed and sliced thinly)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Buffalo Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Flour Mixture:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck (beef, not buffalo!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
Vegetable oil, for frying
6 Kaiser rolls, split
1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the celery root slaw, peel off all of the brown portions of the celery root. Use a mandoline to cut the celery root into thin matchsticks. Place the celery root in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving. To make the buffalo aioli, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, butter, hot sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving. To make the flour mixture, in a large bowl whisk together the flour, cayenne pepper, and salt. Set aside To make the patties, combine the beef, garlic, hot sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the Kaiser rolls. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once about 2 minutes on each side for very rare (the burgers will be cooked more when they are fried so at this point they should be underdone). When done cooking, place on a plate and set aside. To fry the burgers, pour the oil into a large fireproof skillet to a depth of an inch. Place the skillet on the grill and heat over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. Dredge the burgers in the flour mixture, on both sides, and place the burgers (as many as you can fit at one time) in the oil in the fireproof skillet and cook for two minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and set aside. During the last few minutes of frying, place the Kaiser rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. To assemble the burgers, place a generous amount of buffalo aioli over the cut sides of the Kaiser rolls. On each Kaiser roll bottom, place the fried patty, an equal amount of celery root slaw, and an equal amount of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Add the Kaiser roll tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.