Szechuan Beef Burgers

It’s Burger Friday, Whoo-hooooo! Let’s celebrate with Szechuan Beef Burgers! A savory blend of all you love about Chinese takeout and backyard grilling.

Last week, I declared June as Burger Month here on A Spicy Perspective. That means every Friday this month I will share a sensational hamburger recipe, perfect for your summer get-togethers.

Since this is just about the only place I get to “declare” anything, I’m really excited about it.

I wish you could see my happy dance… it’s pretty spectacular.

We are a diehard Asian food family.

Lina Aqua Dishes from Villeroy & Boch.

In fact, the only person in our family that does not always answer this way is Lt. Dan.

He loves to experiment with food as well, but falls back on steak, pizza, or burgers, God bless him. So this summer I thought it would be fun to combine the Asian flavors we love best with an old-fashioned beef burger.

Then everybody is happy.

Szechuan Beef Burgers are a spicy amalgamation of the Szechuan ingredients you might find in recipes like Crispy Szechuan Beef, Kung Pao Stir Frys, and Dan Dan Noodles.

Ginger, garlic, peanuts, sesame, Chinese vinegar, soy, and a whole lot of spice make these burgers completely irresistible.

Typically the standout ingredient in most Szechuan style recipes are Szechuan peppercorns. As they can be hard to find, I substituted sriracha sauce and fresh jalapeños to produce that spicy heat that makes Szechuan cuisine so appealing.

Each Szechuan Beef Burger is piled with spicy stir fried vegetables and peanuts for a savory crunch. You can skip the bun and serve these burgers between crisp lettuce leaves to make them even more veggie-licious!

PRINT RECIPE

Szechuan Beef Burgers

YIELD: 6 burgers

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Szechuan Beef Patties:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 1/2 Tb. hoisin sauce
• 2 Tb. peanut butter
• 1 1/2 Tb. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sriracha sauce

For the Szechuan Stir Fry Topping:

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 1/2 inch sections
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 1-2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and sliced thin (optional)
• 1 Tb. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
•  1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 Tb. black Chinese vinegar (sub rice vinegar)
• 1-2 tsp. sriracha sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tb. fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• water

For the Szechuan Beef Burgers:

• 6 Buns
• Wasabi Mayonnaise (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef with the hoisin, peanut butter, soy sauce and sriracha by hand, until smooth. Form into 6 patties that are just larger than the buns. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
2. Preheat the grill to high heat. Slice all the veggies into thin even julienne-style pieces. Mix the Soy sauce, sherry, black vinegar, garlic, ginger and sriracha together in a small bowl. Whisk in the corn starch and have another 1/2 cup of water ready on the side.
3. Grill the patties for 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and cover with foil.
4. Preheat a wok (or large skillet) on high heat. Add a scant amount of sesame oil, and stir fry the veggies in small batches for 30-60 seconds until just barely cooked and slightly charred. (You won't get char marks if you use too much oil or add all the veggies at once.) Turn off the heat and add the liquid mixture. Whisk to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water until you reach your preferred thickness. Mix in the stir fried veggies and peanuts.
5. To Serve: Place a patty on each bun and top wth stir fired veggies. If you need even more kick, shmeer the buns with Wasabi Mayo. (1/2 mayo + 1 tsp. wasabi paste)

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