Try These 3 Grilled Burger Recipes for Memorial Day Weekend

PIMENTO-JALAPEÑO CHEESEBURGERS

Pimento cheese might not be your first choice for topping a burger, but once you see how rich and creamy it gets as it melts onto the patty you'll realize what you've been missing. We use our standard pimento cheese here and add slices of pickled jalapeño for an extra kick.

1 cup Pimento Cheese

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (see note above)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 soft hamburger buns

1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1/2 small white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 slices ripe tomato

3/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeño peppers

Place pimento cheese in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, 6 to 8 short pulses. Transfer to a small bowl with a rubber spatula and wash food processor bowl if using to grind meat

To grind with a meat grinder: Place grinding shaft, feed tube, plate, die, and screw of a meat grinder into the freezer along with a large mixing bowl. Spread beef chunks evenly in a single layer on a large plate or rimmed baking sheet. Place meat in freezer and freeze until starting to get firm around edges but still malleable, about 20 minutes. Set up meat grinder with 3/8-inch plate. Grind meat into the cold bowl. Working quickly, grind meat again using 1/4-inch plate. If grinder or meat begins to get too warm during grinding process, return to freezer for 10 minutes before continuing to grind.

Form beef into 4 patties about 1/2-inch wider than the burger buns with a slight depression in the center to account for bulging as they cook. Season generously with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Place burgers directly over hot coals, cover with vents open, and cook, turning occasionally, until well charred and center of burgers register 110°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.

Spread pimento cheese evenly on top of burgers and continue to cook until cheese is melted and burgers register 125°F for medium rare or 135°F for medium, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer burgers to a large plateToast buns over center of grill until golden brown and warmed through. Transfer buns to a large cutting board. Top bottom buns with shredded lettuce, slivered onions, tomato slices, and jalapeño slices.