We love burgers around here — big, juicy burgers. We’ve even shared our tips for making them best. This burger recipe pulls out all the stops. We add stout beer, mustard and garlic to the meat before forming the burgers then we add a homemade barbecue sauce on top after they are cooked. The barbecue sauce is made with one of Adam’s favorites — Guinness stout beer. It’s really easy to make — just throw the beer, vinegar, tomato puree, spices and some molasses into a saucepan and simmer until thick. To go alongside the burgers, we love making butternut squash fries. They’re so delicious — if you’ve ever had sweet potato fries, these are very similar. We fried them this time, but baking works, too. Recipe updated, originally posted October 2009. Since posting this in 2009, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the grill 1 egg, whisked 1/4 cup Stout beer 2 teaspoons prepared Coleman’s mustard 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 4 slices cheese 4 burger buns, buttered and toasted Arugula, tomato and sliced onion for serving 1 medium onion, chopped small 1/4 cup molasses 1 (12-ounce) can stout beer (Guinness) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 (6-ounce) can tomato puree 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon brown sugar Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 large butternut squash, peeled with seeds removed Salt and fresh ground black pepper 2In a large bowl, stir the olive oil, egg, beer, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the beef and gently mix until blended. Form beef into four hamburger patties. Use your thumb to imprint a dimple into the middle of each burger. (This prevents the middle of the burgers from puffing up while cooking). 3Lightly brush the grill with oil and place each burger patty down onto the oiled grill. Leave the patties for 4 minutes, flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until desired doneness (4 to 5 minutes on each side should be cooked to medium). Transfer burgers to a plate and top with cheese, loosely cover with aluminum foil and rest 5 minutes. 4Place a handful of arugula on the bottom of each bun. Add the burger, spoon stout barbecue sauce on top and finish with sliced onion and tomato. 2Reduce the heat to medium low and cook at a low simmer until the sauce thickens into a glossy sauce, about 20 minutes. 2Set a rack on a baking sheet or tray. 3Cut the squash in half, and then into long fries. Working in small batches, fry the squash fries in the oil until floppy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the rack to drain. 4Increase the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees. Place the fries back into the oil (again, in small batches) and cook until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the rack to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
