Grant County Gourmet: Grace your grill with these burger ideas

How many people just grill plain ol’ beef patties purchased from the store? I did, at one time, before I decided that having the meat flavored was even better than laying a thick layer of condiments on the finished meat.

What can you do? It can be as easy as adding a modest amount of your favorite seasonings to the meat and letting the flavors mingle in the fridge a few hours before cooking. Another is to prepare tasty toppings in lieu of the usual condiments.

I did try something different. I made up a barbecue sauce from various ingredients found in the fridge, then brushed it onto the nearly-cooked-through patties. The burgers turned out really tasty. Next time I’ll use it while I’m cooking up ribs. You could also use the marinade below as a brush on sauce.

GRAPE JAM BARBECUE SAUCE

1/2 cup grape jam

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon mustard

1/8 cup Balsamic vinegar

Seasoned salt to taste

Combine all in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings. Brush as desired over meats.

DAN’S MARINADE

1 cups water

1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings. Brush as desired over meats. If you want to use this to season your meats before cooking, place all the ingredients in a bowl, stirring to mix them all together. Place thawed meat in the bowl, turn the meat over to coat, then cover the bowl. Let meat sit in refrigerator 30 minutes. Turn meat over in bowl and let sit 15 more minutes. Barbecue as desired.

BLUE CHEESE BURGERS

1/4 cup blue cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

4 hamburger buns

1 pound ground beef

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine blue cheese, butter, mustard and Worcestershire. Spread cheese mixture by teaspoons on each half of bun. Season beef with salt and pepper. Form into four patties and grill to desired doneness. While beef is cooking place buns on a cookie sheet and place in a hot broiler until the topping is bubbly and brown. Place cooked beef between toasted bun halves before serving.

BURGUNDY BURGERS

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Burgundy wine

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced chives

3 hamburger buns

Mix all ingredients (except the buns, obviously) and shape into three patties. Grill to desired doneness. Serve in the hamburger buns.

PARMESAN BURGERS

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons chopped onion

3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons ketchup

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 hamburger buns

Mix beef, onion, salt, and pepper. Spread meat mixture about 1/4 inch on each bun half. Mix ketchup with Worcestershire. Spread lightly over meat. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and parsley. Broil until desired doneness.

ONIONY BURGERS

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 large sweet onion

2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1 large tomato, cut into six slices

6 hamburger buns

Combine beef, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; form into 6 patties. Place each patty on a 12-inch square of heavy foil. Slice onion into 6 equal slices. Place 1 teaspoon crumbled blue cheese and an onion slice on top of each meat patty. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over onion, then wrap each patty securely in its foil square, fastening and folding foil over. Cook over hot coals on grill, turning foil packets every 10 minutes until desired doneness is reached. Open foil, place a tomato slice on each patty and insert in a warm hamburger bun.