Inspired by the legendary barbecue restaurant Leroy and Lewis, this smoked burger recipe brings a Michelin-starred experience straight to your backyard. Juicy chuck beef, a smoky slow-cooked finish, and a rich beet barbecue sauce make this the ultimate homemade indulgence.
Ingredients
Burgers
1,4 kg / 3 lbs chuck roast (80/20 fat ratio)
- 2 tbsp PitmasterX Texas BBQ seasoning
6 hamburger buns
1 tbsp butter
2 onions
12 slices American cheese
pickles to taste
Beet BBQ Sauce
67 g / 1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
4 tsp chipotle flakes
2 tsp knoflookpoeder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
80 ml / 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
80 ml / 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
240 ml / 1 cup ketchup
160 ml / 2/3 cup mustard
4 tbsp beet juice
4 tbsp mayonnaise
Tools
Thanks to Borniak for sponsoring this recipe Visit their website to learn more.
How to
- Start by cubing chuck roast, trimming off any silver skin.
- Grind the meat once on a coarse setting, then grind again with a finer mesh to improve texture.
- Shape into 6 burger patties of roughly 225 g or 1/2 lb each.
- Season generously on all sides with Texas BBQ rub.
- Prepare your smoker, set to 140°C / 285°F, and smoke the patties for about 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 53°C / 127°F.
- While the burgers smoke, make the beet BBQ sauce: grind the chipotle flakes and combine with sugar, salt, garlic, paprika, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add ketchup and mustard, and stir in beet juice. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Mix 4 tablespoons of the finished BBQ sauce with 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise for a milder, creamy burger sauce. Slice two onions and fry them in butter in a cast iron pan until soft but not mushy.
- When the burgers are done smoking, let them rest while you toast the buns in the pan and sear the patties on both sides until a crust forms.
- Add two slices of American cheese per patty and let it melt.
- Assemble the burger: toasted bun, a spoonful of the BBQ-mayo sauce, the seared burger with melted cheese, fried onions, pickles, and top bun. Serve hot and enjoy that pink, juicy, smoky center—true Michelin-star flavor at home.
