I’ve been in need of a burger, so when I saw this recipe (and that it was a “quick & easy” one) I rushed to make it.  I put it together on a weeknight and it was completely doable.  My husband loved it as well.  For my son, I simply put cheese and ketchup on his.  But as for ours, I’d recommend trying the toppings!

As I’ve whined about before, here I’ll have to mention that I still do not have outdoor space where I can grill, so I was drawn to a recipe that I can make in a cast-iron pan.  So, you can even make these during those cold winter months!

Cast-Iron Burgers

serves: 4
WW Points: 7
courtesy of Cooking Light, August 2009

Patties:
1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Horseradish spread:
1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (Yep, used it all!)
2 teaspoons ketchup

Relish:
2 applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped
3 cups vertically sliced yellow onion (I used a bit less)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remaining ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
4 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices
1 cup shredded lettuce

To prepare the patties, divide beef into 4 portions, lightly shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

To prepare horseradish spread, combine mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients (through ketchup) in a small bowl. Set aside.

To prepare relish, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown. Combine bacon, onion mixture, chives, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a small bowl.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish spread on cut sides of each bun half. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 patty, 1/4 cup relish, 1 tomato slice, 1/4 cup lettuce, and top half of bun.

~M