This burger is highlighted by its cheese sauce. Before preparing it, we grill peppers until they are blistered and nearly black. The peppers are placed in a bag to steam, and fifteen minutes later the skin can be peeled off. Depending on your preference for heat, you can either remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers or leave them in place. The longer you let the sauce simmer, the spicier it will be.
When the peppers are roasted, the queso sauce can be prepared. If you have ever prepared our macaroni and cheese recipe, you will find that the steps are similar. In a saucepan, melt butter, add flour, and then whisk in milk. The sauce will become thick and creamy after a few minutes of bubbling. At this point, three whole cups of grated cheese are melted into the dish. The final step is to season with salt and pepper, followed by the addition of roasted peppers. The roasted peppers impart flavor and spice to the sauce.
The burgers are topped with an excessive amount of cheese sauce, sliced avocado, and a generous spoonful of fresh salsa after being grilled.
Queso Blanco Burger Recipe
This burger is excessive but incredibly good. Select ground chuck or round with a 20% fat content when preparing burger patties. This produces juicy burgers.
The cheese sauce can be made up to three days in advance. To prevent skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce once it has cooled. Keep refrigerated. When you’re ready to use it, set it over fairly low heat to gradually reheat.
Makes 4 burgers
YOU WILL NEED
- QUESO SAUCE
- 3 Anaheim or poblano peppers
- 1 jalepeño pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
BURGERS
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) of ground beef chuck or round
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Butter, as needed
- 4 burger buns, lightly toasted
- 1 avocado, pit removed and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh tomato salsa, see our homemade pico de gallo recipe
DIRECTIONS
MAKE QUESO SAUCE
- Place peppers on a grill heated to a medium-high temperature. Cook, turning occasionally until the majority of the skin is blistered and dark brown or black in color
- Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam. After 15 minutes, peel each pepper’s blistered skin and remove the stems. Depending on the desired spiciness of the sauce, remove some or all of the seeds and white membrane from the peppers. Prepare the peppers for the sauce by dicing them into small bits.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a big, high-sided pan. Add the onions and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, until softened.
- Warm the milk in a large microwave-safe measuring jug in the microwave for 1 to 3 minutes. Alternately, you may add milk to a big saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it is warm.
- Add the flour to the onions and heat, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the butter smells fragrant and nutty and turns a light brown color.
- Slowly pour the warm milk into the butter and flour mixture while stirring. Continue cooking while continuously whisking until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
- Remove the skillet from heat, then add cheese. Stir until the sauce’s heat has melted the cheese. Add the peppers, a touch of salt, and several turns of the black pepper mill. After tasting for seasoning, apply additional salt as necessary.
MAKE BURGERS
Form four 6-ounce hamburger patties from beef. Use your thumb to create a depression in the center of each burger. (This stops the burger centers from expanding during cooking.) Salt and pepper on both sides of the hamburger patties.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Depending on your preference, cook hamburger patties for three to four minutes per side. Or grill burgers on an outside grill. Cover burgers with aluminum foil and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving them with sauce and condiments.
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