Makes 4 burgers
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
2 1/2 pounds Ground beef chuck
Smoked bacon 12 slices
Bread flour
Sugar
Instant yeast
Whole milk (Room temp)
Large eggs (Room temp)
Salted and unsalted butter
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 or 2 yellow onions
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Sweet relish
Liquid smoke (optional)
Vanilla extract
Butter extract
Almond extract (optional)
Cinnamon (Optional)
Confectioners’ sugar
Purple, green and gold sugar sprinkles
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Tools you’ll need
10-inch round cast iron skillet
11 by 17-inch baking pan
Stand mixer
Meat thermometer
Aluminum foil
Note– Before starting the recipe- You can follow the steps as instructed or you can save more time by making several of the things at once if you can. Example while the hamburger buns are rising, you can prepare the special sauce, caramelized onions, baking / frying the bacon, prepare and fry the hamburger buns and from there when the hamburger buns are done, baking you can make the icing as well.
Making the King cake Hamburger buns
Dry ingredients
Step 1- Add 1 2/3 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into stand mixer bowl. Stir until combined and set aside.
Wet ingredients
Step 2- Add 2/3 cup whole milk (Temp 120 degrees F), 3 tablespoons melted salted butter, and 1 large egg (Room temp). Stir with whisk until combined.
Step 3- Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix on a medium low speed or according to instructions on your mixer for mixing doughs for 4 minutes. Add 2 additional tablespoons of bread flour and mix on medium low speed for 4 minutes. 8 minutes total for mixing dough altogether.
Step 4- Lightly flour surface of your table. Add dough on top of table and knead for 2 minutes and form dough into a ball. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5- Press down on dough and form into a ball again. Cut into 4 pieces. Each piece should weigh 3.6 ounces total. Once done form all 4 pieces of dough into a ball. Lightly butter the 11 by 17 inching baking pan. Add dough pieces into an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Space each piece out and press down with your hands. Cover pan with a towel and let sit in a warm spot for 1 hour.
Note- While dough is rising you can do other steps like make the icing, frying the bacon and preparing the ground beef patties ahead of time.
Baking the King cake hamburger buns
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Step 6- Place into a preheated 400-degree oven, on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Once the baking time is complete, remove from oven and let cool for completely.
Step 7- Turn the hamburger buns sideways and cut going down the width using a serrated or bread knife.
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 8- Add top and bottom portions of cut hamburger buns into skillet. Let toast for 2 minute each. Remove from skillet and place onto cooling rack with a pan underneath it. Brush the insides of the top and bottom portions of each hamburger bun with salted butter using a pastry brush and set aside.
Making the icing
Step 9- Add 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons warm whole milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon butter extract, 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional), and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional), into a medium sized bowl. Stir with creamy and smooth with no visible lumps. If mixture is too thick add an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons warm whole milk to thin it out and stir until combined.
Step 10- Dip the top portion of each hamburger bun into the icing. Remove from icing and carefully shake the hamburger bun to remove some of the icing. Place onto a cooling rack with a pan underneath it. Sprinkle purple, green and gold sugar sprinkles on top of each hamburger bun and set aside.
Baking the bacon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 11- Add 12 strips of bacon into an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Place into a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove bacon from oven and let cool completely. Place bacon strips on to serving dish lined with napkins and linen napkins on top of bacon strips and press down. This will remove the oil from the bacon. Reserve the pan drippings from the bacon by adding it into a small bowl.
Making the special sauce
Step 12- Add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 or 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 2 or 3 tablespoons sweet relish, 1/8 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 or 2 teaspoons sugar into a small bowl. Stir with whisk until combined and place into fridge.
Caramelized onions
Step 13- Cut 1 or 2 yellow onions into slices. Separate each slice into onion rings.
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 14- Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon bacon pan drippings, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar into a large saucepan. Let get hot for 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 15- Add onion ring pieces, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning and 1 or 2 teaspoons sugar into saucepan. Stir and let sauté for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add caramelized onions into mesh strainer with a pan underneath it and let cool completely.
Ground beef patties
Note-Each ground beef patty should weigh 10 ounces and have a diameter or 7 to 8 inches.
Step 16- Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon liquid smoked into a large bowl. Combine all ingredients with your hands.
Step 17- Form 10 ounces by weight of ground beef into a ball and place it onto a plate or large pan. press ground beef ball down with your hand forming a flat 7 or 8 inch in diameter circle. Once done make an indentation with your thumb or palm of your hand. Place into fridge until patties are ready to be cooked.
Frying the ground beef patties
Notes- Frying times vary depending on size of patties, stove and skillet. Internal temp of burgers should be 160 degrees F.
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 18- Let cast iron skillet get hot for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 patty each into the skillet. Let fry for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until internal temp reaches 160 degrees F. Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top of each patty about 2 minutes before cooking time has ended.
Step 19- Add hamburger patties onto cooling rack with a pan underneath it. Cover each patty with aluminum foil to keep warm while frying the other hamburger patties. This will also help melt the cheese as well.
Assembling the burgers
Step 20- Spread special sauce onto the bottom portion of the hamburger bun. Add hamburger patty with cheese, 3 bacon strips, and caramelized onions on top. Add more of the special sauce on top of the caramelized onions, followed by the top portion of the hamburger bun. Carefully press down with your hand and serve.
YouTube instructional video
