Michelle’s Chimichurri Cheeseburger: Grilling for Greatness

Chimichurri cheeseburger, anyone? Sounds like comida heaven, right? That’s what homecook Michelle Ezratty Murphy was thinking when she combined two of her summer favorites — chimichurri and burgers on the grill — to dream up this instant classic that is now a weekend must-make in her Arizona home.

”I first tried chimi sauce on my cheeseburgers because it’s grilling season,” says Murphy, one of our favorite contributors here at Familia Kitchen. Good thing too. This is the best burger we have had in años.

The secret to its 10X delicioso factor is her fresh take on chimichurri sauce. It’s bright, bold and mouth-puckeringly tangy. Michelle is rightly family- and neighborhood-famous for her chimichurri recipe. Her version of the traditional Argentinian sauce/condiment is made with parsley and cilantro leaves, minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon.

”I thought to myself: If chimichurri tastes amazing on skirt steak, it must taste really delicious on a steak burger,” says Michelle. And because everything she cooks is a little extra, Michelle went a step further and loaded her chimi cheeseburgers with a second sauce: a garlicky mayo topping. ”I came up with the idea of mixing in the chimichurri with basic garlic aioli and calling it chimichurri-aioli Swiss burgers.”

How’d her idea turn out? She kisses her fingers: Incredible.

Sabor is at the heart of Michelle’s cocina. Though she now lives in U.S., Michelle grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico and is married to a Puerto Rican, Pat. It’s a family requirement that every meal be loaded with bold flavors, double the expected amount of garlic, and more often than not: cilantro. (Taste the results for yourself: Try Michelle’s Familia Kitchen Grand Prize-winning Titi Rosa’s Arroz con Pollo, her sofrito, and her picadillo. Her husband’s family recipe for beef alcapurrias takes us right back to the island, it’s so Boricua-real deal.)

The secret to a great hamburger, says Michelle, is to build in layers of flavors. ”My chimichurri burger gets its great flavor from the bottom up: The garlicky-creamy chimichurri aioli, quality Swiss cheese (you can also use gruyere, she says), and a fresh-toasted brioche bun.”

Consider doubling the two sauces for later use on top of grilled proteins or vegetables, Michelle adds. She likes to make this chimichurri-aioli in advance and chill it for future use. ”It keeps for three to four days. And, by the way, the chimi-aioli is delicious for dipping French fries into.”

When it comes to making the beef patty itself, at Michelle’s house, medium-rare is the only way to go. She also uses 80/20 ground beef because ”it has so much extra flavor.” The secret to not making a mess or risk any of the creamy toppings slipping through the metal grate is to finish the chimi cheeseburgers in a cast-iron pan placed directly on the grill.

”I preheat the cast-iron at 550°, with the lid closed,” Michelle says. ”I then put the burgers on that screaming-hot cast-iron skillet and start adding the chimichurri sauce and other toppings. It gets melty-perfect.”

Best of all, these chimi cheeseburgers aren’t just for summer. ”I’ll be making these burgers all year round. They can be made on an inside grill any time of the year,” Michelle says.

Bottom line: ”You need to try these,” she says. ”They are the freaking bomb.”

To try more of Michelle’s family-famous dishes, check out her Arizona carne asada burritos, Puerto Rican tostones, chili con carne with bacon, Cuban black bean soup, sheet-tray super nachos with shredded beef and guacamole, barbacoa beef tacos and more!

Ready to Make the Best Chimichurri Cheeseburger Ever?

Michelle’s Chimichurri Cheeseburgers for Grilling Greatness

Recipe by Michelle Ezratty Murphy

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef (use 80/20 for extra juicy)

• 4 hamburger buns (Michelle uses brioche)

• 8 oz Swiss cheese, shredded

• For the Chimichurri

• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 a large lemon)

• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• For the Garlic Aioli

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

• Make the Chimichurri Sauce
• Finely chop all the ingredients.
• Stir together. Set aside.
• Make the Garlic Aioli Sauce
• Stir all the ingredients together.
• Place in the fridge until ready to use.
• Grill the Chimichurri-Aioli Cheeseburgers
• Stir the chimichurri and the garlic aioli sauces together in bowl. Set aside.
• Make four patties, using 5 to 6 oz of ground beef for each.
• On the cold grill, place a cast-iron pan large enough to comfortably fit the 4 burgers.
• Preheat the grill to “screaming hot,” says Michelle: 550°.
• Place the patties on the hot grill (not on the cast iron pan, that is for later).
• Close the lid and grill the patties 3 minutes on the first side.
• Open the grill, flip the patties. Keep the lid open and grill for 2 minutes on the second side for medium-rare. Add 1 minute for medium. Michelle does not recommends making these well done. ”You want them to be juicy.”
• When the burgers are cooked to your liking, place them in the hot cast-iron skillet on the grill.
• Add a large spoonful of the chimi-aioli over each burger. Sprinkle the top of each burger with a handful of shredded cheese.
• Lower the grill lid for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the cheese is bubbling.
• Toast the hamburgers buns on the grill for about 30 seconds, until they turn pale golden with grill marks.
• Slide the chimi-aioli-cheese burgers on the toasted buns and serve hot. No other condiments needed, says Michelle.

Notes

• Fries with that chimi burger? This chimichurri-aioli also makes a delicious sauce to dip your fries in, says Michelle.