The Ultimate Latino Burger

Pairs well with:

Pinot Noir

Every pour of our Pinot Noir brings you a delicious blend of berry flavors and the romantic aroma of violet.

Here in Florida we grill all year round, and one of our frequent suppers is a burger version of the Cuban pressed sandwich, a local favorite.Because the flavors are so full and have so much punch I don’t use lettuce or tomatoes, but do use thin shavings of sweet red onion. Can’t have too much of that! When pressed, these burgers hold together well and deliver all the flavor we expect from a Latino-influenced sandwich.

Ingredients:

The Ultimate Latino Burger

1-1/2 pounds boneless chuck (20% fat), cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise, Hellmann or Best Foods suggested
4 cloves roasted garlic, finely mashed
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
6 large soft Kaiser or hamburger buns, split
6 thin slices smoked ham
12 thin slices imported Gouda cheese, Kings Choice suggested
6 large or 12 small thinly sliced red onion
3 large dill pickles, drained, cut diagonally into thin slices

Instructions:

Ignite coals in a chimney, and rake 2/3 of them to cover half of the grill. Spread the remainder over the remaining half.
In a food processor, finely chop the beef and pork in batches. Add salt and pepper, mix well and form the meat into 6 (3/4-inch thick) burgers. Make a deep indent in the center of each and grill over hottest part of grill to medium doneness, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Add buns to cooler side of grill, cut sides down, for 1 minute golden and warmed through.

Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard.

Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the burger with a slice of ham, red onion and then another slice of cheese, then the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles and place on cool side of grill. Place a heavy two-burner griddle to cover top of burgers and cook 1 to 2 minutes until cheese has melted. Cut in half and serve.