Backpacking Bangkok BBQ Burger

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

I spent four months backpacking through Southeast Asia and was constantly inspired by the food served by the food vendors.This burger is a mixture of several of those Asian favors that I loved there, combined with some American takes on Asian ingredients (like the cream cheese, not found anywhere in Asia).

Ingredients:

ASIAN BBQ SAUCE

½ c. red onion

1½ tsp. minced garlic

½ c. Catsup

¼ c. Hoisin Sauce

¼ c. Garlic chili paste

3 Tbs. Sriracha

2 tsp Fresh grated ginger

1 tsp Chinese spicy mustard

2 Tbs. Lower Sodium Soy Sauce

2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

BURGER PATTIES

2.5 lb. Ground Chuck (80/20)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 Tbs. worcheschire

2 Tbs. Asian BBQ sauce

2 Tbs. of canola oil to brush the patties with before putting them on the grill.

ASIAN SLAW

2 tsp. fresh grated ginger

2 tsp. fresh grated garlic

2 tsp brown sugar

2 Tbs. soy sauce

2 Tbs. Fresh squeezed lime juice

½ c. rice wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

¼ c. Canola oil

4 broccoli stems, peeled and julienned

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

4 baby bok choy, sliced thinly

¼ c. cilantro, julienned

3 scallions, sliced thinly on a bias

2 serrano chili peppers, halved and sliced thinly on a bias

SCALLION CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

3 Large scallions

1 clove garlic

5 oz. Cream cheese

½ c. sour cream

¼ tsp. salt

6 French burger buns from you grocers bakery

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to High.

First Start on the BBQ Sauce. Sweat onion and garlic in a saucepan on medium low heat for 5 min. After the onions appear translucent add in the remainder of the ingredients. Cover and simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes. Transfer BBQ sauce to a food processor and blend until the sauce is smooth. Set aside.

Next make the burger patties. Add all of the ingredients, minus the Canola oil, and work together until just mixed. Separate into 6 even burger patties. Form each patty loosely into a 3/4-inch burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb so burgers cook to be an even thickness. Let the patties rest in the fridge while you prepare the asian slaw.

First prepare the dressing. Combined the ginger through the salt and wisk well. Then slowly incorporate the sesame oil and the canola oil. When the dressing is ready set aside and cut all of the vegetables. Dress the slaw with just enough dressing to coat the vegetables.

Pull the burgers out of the fridge while you make the cream cheese spread.

For the cream cheese spread put scallions and garlic in the food processor and pulse until the vegetables are finely pureed. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined, scraping the sides of the processor if necessary.

Before putting the burgers on the grill brush one side of the burgers with Canola oil. Put the burgers on the grill, oil side down, and then brush the opposite side of the burger with oil as well. cook the burgers 4 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side. 2 minutes before burgers are done, generously coat with the BBQ sauce. Remove from the grill and cover with foil while you toast the buns on the grill.

To assemble burgers, put 2 Tbs. of the cream cheese spread on the bottom bun and top with burger. Put about a 1/2 cup of the Asian slaw on top of the burger, and then the top side of the bun. Enjoy!