“St. Pat’s Lucky Cow on a Bun” – Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Only a few times out of the year is a man in prime health allowed to overindulge. We give ourselves a little wiggle room during the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. We seize the Super Bowl in all its over-the-top glory. Then there's St. Patrick's Day with “St. Pat’s Lucky Cow on a Bun." Cheers to you, Irishmen, for giving us a holiday where excess is not simply encouraged; it is required.

So on this cheat day of cheat days, we ask of you this: If you’re going to indulge, do it right and eat better food than the feeble fish ‘n’ chips your local Irish bar serves up.

Grill up these "Irish" burgers which take your traditional beef patty, smacks it with Russian dressing, piles on the corned beef and Swiss cheese, and finishes it all off with some cabbage that's been braised with bacon and brown sugar.

Excessive? You bet, and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you, too.

Serves 4

St. Pat’s Lucky Cow on a Bun Ingredients

Burgers

  • 2 lb 80% lean ground beef

  • 4 large hamburger buns

  • 4 Tbsp Russian dressing

  • 2 cups braised cabbage (see recipe below)

  • 8 slices Swiss cheese

  • ¾ lb sliced corned beef

  • Salt and pepper

Braised Cabbage

  • 1 head green cabbage
  • 1-inch diced
4 slices smoked bacon, diced
  • ½ white onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

St. Pat’s Lucky Cow on a Bun Directions

Braised Cabbage

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add cabbage and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Add the remainder of ingredients and simmer until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Burgers

  1. Preheat your grill to direct, high heat or heat coals until white and hot.
  2. Divide the ground beef into fourths and shape into patties ½-inch thick. Season the patties with salt and pepper and grill over high heat until cooked to the desired temperature, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
  3. Warm braised cabbage and corned beef in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Place 2 slices of Swiss cheese on each patty and allow to melt. Dress each bun with 1 Tbsp Russian dressing and top with each hamburger. Top each burger with cabbage and a few slices of corned beef, and close the bun. Makes 4 burgers.

Created by Anthony Meidenbauer, chef at Holsteins at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas