Swiss Cheese Burger Recipe

Summer is Cheeseburger grilling time. Usually I like melted American or Cheddar cheese on my burgers, but lately it's Swiss Cheese. 

Swiss cheese is more pungent than American cheese. I get it cheaply from my local Latin grocer, Superior. With its distinctive holes, Swiss cheese is easy to spot. It takes a little longer to melt than American cheese.

Swiss Cheese originated in Emmental, Switzerland. It's said that the larger the holes, the more pungent the cheese. The cheese colors are pale yellow to almost white. Don't feel cheated by the holes since it's usually sold by weight.

I add Swiss cheese to my Pastrami and Corned Beef sandwiches. Try it in a Grilled Swiss Cheese Sandwich.

I've been getting discounted ground beef from my local supermarket, Ralphs Grocer. These days anything around $5 per pound is a good deal. If the ground beef is red in color, I'll take a chance on discounted ground beef. I won't buy grey or browning beef. I have, on occasion, bought nice bright red ground meat at a discount, only to find that it's brown in the middle...ugh. 

I like my burgers not too big, so I form the patties into 1/4 to 1/3 pounds - make your burgers as large as you like.

Try not to press on the meat too much; keep it a little loose. You can make the meat patties thick or thin. Of course, the thinner the patty, the quicker it will cook. I add salt and pepper to the raw hamburger patties before grilling. I tend to add more pepper than salt, but season the hamburger any way you like.

What do you like on a summertime grilled Hamburger? When I invite the neighbors over for a patio party, I have to remember to put out ketchup. I like typical mustard and mayo on mine. My local Dollar Tree has these condiments for the right price.

Lettuce, sliced tomato, and pickle are my other hamburger toppings. I also add sliced onion if I have it in the crisper. All these ingredients still come cheaply.

My method of grilling hamburgers is to cook one side until it is charred, then flip it over and cook it to the desired doneness, usually in a reduced amount of time. Cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the grill. I use a gas grill set to medium heat - it usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes total for a medium-done hamburger, with a little pink in the middle. Increase time for a well-done hamburger.

I add cheese right when I flip the burger so it melts all the way. In my video recipe, I leave the barbecue grill top open for filming, but normally the top is down when I add the cheese so it melts quick enough. It's up to you how you grill a hamburger.

Anyway you grill it, try my tasty cheeseburger version with Swiss Cheese for a change of flavor.

Swiss Cheese Burger - Recipe Video            Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 23 seconds.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef - I bought a one-pound package and divided it into 4 segments, about 1/4 pound each. Make the hamburger patties any size and shape you like.
• Swiss Cheese - One slice per hamburger patty is enough for me. You can add more if you like.
• Salt & Pepper - to your taste. Add any favorite seasonings.
• Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle - add any combination, or all three. It's up to you; add what you like, or have on hand. I sometimes add sliced onion, too.
• Mustard, Mayonnaise - or any favorite condiment, like ketchup. 

Directions

Form hamburger patties any size you like. I make mine in the 1/4 pound range. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fire up the grill. I use a gas grill set to medium heat. Use any grilling method you like.

Let the grill heat up for a couple of minutes, then add the hamburger patty(s). You may want to spray the grill with cooking oil if your grilling grates are wide. With thin grates, the hamburger patty is easy to flip without sticking.

While the hamburger grills, I will slice the tomato and pickle (if needed). Shred lettuce. Get out your favorite condiments, like mayo and mustard.

My grilling technique is to cook one side of the hamburger until it is darkly charred and brown, then flip it over for a shorter cooking time, until it is done the way I like it. Cooking time will vary, but usually 7 to 10 minutes total is enough time. Keep the grill closed during part of the cooking time for more smoky flavor.

If you try to char each side of the hamburger, it can easily dry out, unless that is the way you like it. If the patty is a fat one, then you can probably char each side. 

I like my hamburger patty with a pink middle, but not too raw.

Add the Swiss cheese when you flip the burger so it has time to melt. This is when I close the grill for a minute or so.

I have a water spray bottle handy for flare-ups. If your hamburger has a high fat content in the 70% to 80% lean meat range, the extra fire flare-ups may burn the patty.

The hamburger I purchased was extremely lean, almost too lean for my taste, but it was on sale.

When the hamburger is almost done, I will toast the hamburger buns. You can make your burgers with buns right out of the package.

When the hamburger is done, build your Swiss Burger the way you like it.

I make mine with mustard and mayo slathered on both sides of the bun. I add the hamburger with cheese, then pile on lettuce, tomato, and pickle.

You can't go wrong with a fat, loaded, and grilled  Swiss Cheese Burger.

The Crunchiest Pickle

Instead of swigging sour, or sweet bread and butter pickle juice, or dumping it down the drain, just add some fresh chopped cucumber and make the crunchiest pickle you will ever bite into. Waste not want not -- reuse that juice!

When I buy these hot-house cucumbers, they are so huge a salad cannot contain one. If you have a jar of pickle juice left over, just slice that leftover cucumber and let it soak overnight. These fresh tasting pickles will not last as long as regular ones, but they should last a week longer than normal, and maybe even into the following week.

The taste is light and fresh.They are even good on a burger, or as just a snack or side. They will not be as sour or sweet as you are used to, but you will not make such a sour face when you take a bite.

Directions

Slice fresh cucumber about 1/4 inch thin. Add to leftover pickle juice, either sour, or sweet bread and butter. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Will last a week or two stored in the fridge. 

For other veggies they may need a minute or two of blanching (or steaming) to better absorb pickle juice. The veggies that need a little cooking include: carrots, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, corn, asparagus, green beans, onion, and garlic. Roughly chop any veggie to fit jar(s.)

Amy's Tuna Salad with Green Olives

The addition of green olives makes this Tuna Salad unique. I'm called "The Tuna Mouse" at home because of how quickly my wife's Olive Tuna Salad seems to just vanish!

The extra briny olives give color and the taste goes well with chopped sweet bread-and-butter pickles mixed into canned tuna -- and made richer with chopped eggs and mayo.

This is one delicious concoction that fits snugly into pita bread, makes a great tuna melt, fills a pitted half slice of ripe avocado, or tops a salad with a couple of scoops.

Canned tuna is one budget item I always keep stocked. Everyone has a favorite Tuna Salad recipe and this is The 99 Cent Chef's!

 Ingredients
2 tablespoons onion - fine chopped.
2 tablespoons green olives - chopped or sliced.
1/4 cup bread and butter pickles - chopped, or sweet relish.
1 6oz. can of "solid" tuna in water - may need to reduce other ingredients if you use "chunk" tuna (which is a smaller amount.)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise - okay to adjust amount to suit your taste.
2 boiled eggs - chopped.
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard - or regular Dijon mustard.
Celery salt and pepper to taste.

 

 Directions
Boil 2 eggs for about 10 minutes. Remove eggs from water and set aside to cool. 

Fine-chop onion. Roughly chop green olives and pickles. 

Peel and chop boiled eggs.

Drain tuna and add, along with chopped pickles, olives and onion, all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with celery salt and pepper, mixing well. 

Finally add one teaspoon of mayo at a time to desired creaminess. 

Serve in pita or regular bread.

Or  how about a Tuna Melt? Just slather Tuna Salad onto bread and top with a slice of cheese. Brown the sandwich with a pat of melted butter in a frying pan.