Braised Short Rib Burgers
As an American, there’s not much that I love more than a juicy, meaty, flavorful burger, especially one that is grilled up on a hot summer day.
However, a plain burger is…just that to me, plain, so I am always on the hunt for an amazing new way to do a burger, and I think I have found an amazing one, it is a braised short rib burger.
It’s a take on some burgers by Antonia Lofaso where she used braised oxtail, however oxtail aren’t always that available in grocery stores so I wanted to do something that was more readily available, and bone-in short ribs is what I came up with.
I’ve mentioned it before, but beef short ribs are, by far, my favorite cut of beef that isn’t usually a steak. Once braised, short ribs become fall-apart tender and are wonderful when glazed with the reduced liquid that they were braised in.
By putting the short ribs into ground beef for my burger mix, it will offer a unique texture inside the patties, and the fat from the short ribs will help keep the burgers moist.
These burgers sound incredible, so I say let’s get to it!
Braised Short Rib Burgers
Serves 6
For the Short Ribs:
2 pounds of bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped
1/2 an onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh tarragon
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 cups of beef broth
2 cups of red wine
3 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter
For the Aioli:
1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
For the caramelized onions (Wait, I didn’t mention there’s caramelized onions going onto this burger? Oh, well, surprise!):
Ollive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt
For the Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds of your favorite ground beef blend
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh tarragon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil, for the grill
1/2 pound of gruyere cheese, shredded
2 ounces of arugula
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
6 burger buns
1 small bunch of fresh chives, thinly sliced
Step 1: Cook the Short Ribs
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Season the beef short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a Dutch oven. Add the short ribs and cook until browned on all sides, should take 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove the seared short ribs to a plate, then in the same pot add the carrot, celery, and onion and cook for 2 minutes, or until the veggies start to brown. Return the short ribs to the pot, then add the herbs, garlic, wine, and beef broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil, then let the short ribs braise for 3 hours, or until fall-apart tender. (you can also do it for 2 hours at 400 degrees if you’re short on time.) Check the short ribs every hour to see if they need any more liquid.
Step 2: Make the aioli
While the short ribs are braising, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, and garlic together in a small bowl, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
(By the way, this is a really basic but tasty aioli that you can use for lots of things like salad dressings or as a sauce to dip your french fries into.)
Step 3: Caramelize the Onions
Heat some olive oil in a shallow pan, then add the onion and a pinch of salt, then cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the onions are golden and caramelized.
(I’ve seen recipes for caramelized onions that call for adding sugar to the onions.
I say it’s not needed because, when done properly, caramelized onions are sweet and delicious as they are.)
Step 4: Finish the Short Ribs
Once the short ribs are tender, remove them from the pot but do not throw away the cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, Separate the meat from the bones, discard the bones, and shred the meat.
Strain the liquid from the short ribs into a saucepan, then reduce until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, then swirl in the butter until melted and glossy. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Make the burger mix
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. (On a rainy day, you can also cook the burgers in a cast iron pan)
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, Worcestershire, rosemary, tarragon, garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the braised short ribs, then add the rest to the bowl with the ground beef.
Carefully mix the beef mixture together, being careful not to over-mix, then divide and shape into 6 patties.
Step 6: Cook the burgers
Scrub your grill grates and generously grease with vegetable oil.
Lay the burger patties on the hot part of the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the grill marks develop and the burgers become gray halfway up the sides. Flip the patties, then top each with the cheese and cook until the burgers are fully cooked and the cheese is melted.
Remove the patties from the grill and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the buns on the grill and toss the arugula with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Step 7: Assemble
Spread some of the aioli onto the bottom of each bun, then top generously with the caramelized onions, a sprinkle of chives, a patty, some of the short ribs, a drizzle of the short rib gravy, the arugula, and the top bun.
I cannot describe how much flavor is packed into these burgers enough!
The tender short ribs give a wonderful texture to the juicy burger patties, you also get the creaminess from the aioli, sweetness from the onions, and a hint of pepperiness from the arugula, and it’s an amazing thing to grill up in the summertime.
