Southwestern Backyard Burgers – Memorial Day is Grilling Day!

Memorial Day is just two weeks away, and being the unofficial beginning of summer, it also kicks off the high time of backyard grilling. To give you ideas for your holiday menu, we present Southwestern Backyard Burgers because Memorial Day is Grilling Day! Any kind of burger is the perennial favorite dish on this national day of remembrance, and these burgers take the flavor profile to the next level with their mix of spices and meats.

The mixture for the patties is a combination of lean ground beef and pork sausage, heavily seasoned with chopped green chilies, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and cumin. This combination yields a rich and juicy patty with a slight heat, marrying well with the fresh lettuce, tomato, and other toppings. Using lean ground beef and pork sausage keeps the burger balanced and not too greasy. If you like your burgers a little on the larger size, then plan on only getting 6 servings of each batch.

This is backyard cuisine at its best – super simple and quick, allowing you to get back to leisure and enjoy the outdoors. Grab your shades and a cold drink, fire up the grill, and get ready for summer!

Serves: 6-8

Southwestern Backyard Burgers Ingredients

  • 1 can (4 ounces) of chopped green chilies
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke, optional
  • 1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 12 crackers)
  • 4-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 8 slices of pepper jack cheese
  • 8 sesame seed hamburger buns, split
  • Lettuce leaves and tomato slices
  • Toppings of your choice

Southwestern Backyard Burgers Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight patties.
  2. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Top with cheese. Grill 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted.
  3. Grill buns, cut side down, for 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Serve burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato, and toppings. Yield: 8 servings.

Taken from tasteofhome.com http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/southwestern-backyard-burgers