The Queso Blanco Burger You’ll Want to Grill July 4th

This super-juicy queso blanco burger adds a lot of Latino love to Americans’ go-to grilling staple. But because she adds a Latino twist to everything she cooks, this July 4th one of our favorite Dominican homecooks, Belqui Millilli-Ortiz of food blog Belqui’s Twist fame, is spicing up her fireworks feast with this delicioso recipe starring white cheese dip and mucho seasoning.

“I will make these burgers, plus: ribs, potato salad, rice, and I’m still debating on what else,” she says. True to her Latino roots, this Arizona-based cocinera will spice up each burger with her spicy dip made with white cheese, whole milk, and optional diced tomatoes, scallions and diced jalapeños — or whatever fresh chile she happens to have in her fridge.

Belqui loves to sprinkle a seasoning mix (in this case, she is is using Casa M spice blend Cattle Drive) on both sides of each burger, she says.She gravitates to mixes that have black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and other spices designed to bring out the natural flavors of beef. This mix also includes a light touch of sugar that helps form a bark that caramelizes as the beef patty sizzles on the grill.

In addition to her bold spicing strategy, it’s all about using white cheese dip instead of the expected slice of melted queso, says Belqui. ”The queso dip gives it a great extra kick.”

When Belqui spoons the cheese over the just-grilled patties, everyone gets hamburger happy, Belqui reports. Especially her two sons. ”My kids just love them. We make some type of burger every Friday, pretty much. And living in Arizona, we are able to grill every weekend of the year if we want to — so it is perfect.”

One final Belqui burger tip: The secret to a killer hamburguesa is the shape of the patty, she says. She advises pressing ¼ pound of ground beef into 4-inch circles that are slightly smushed on the top and bottom. Think: more disc than orb. ”I love a juicy patty that isn’t too thick. Because you really want to be able to bite into the burger in one shot, and get all the ingredients in your mouth. And what I really love about this particular recipe is how the queso topping is wet, almost like ketchup or mustard, so that it rolls down the sides of the grilled beef with every bite. I love the idea that it provides each patty with even more flavor and juiciness.”

Si, porfavor.

Tienes hambre, yet? Us too. Here’s to your own festive July 4^th gathering. If you’re the host, we got you covered with this Latino-style burger. Because: spice is nice, and queso is king. All you have to do is stir up a batch of the creamy cheese dip, fire up the grill, and invite your crew over for a delicioso burger fest they’ll remember a long, long time, Belqui promises.

Ready to Bite into A Super-Juicy Queso Blanco Burger?

The Burger With Queso Blanco to Grill July 4th

Recipe by Belqui Ortiz-Millili

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Everywhere Latino

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• For the Queso Blanco Dip

• 1 Tbsp  unsalted butter

• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/4 tsp spice mix or seasoning (your choice)

• 8 oz Monterrey jack cheese

• 15 oz queso blanco dip, store-bought

• 2 optional: scallions, chopped, to garnish dip

• 1 optional garnish: Roma tomato, chopped

• 1 Tbsp optional garnish: jalapeño, diced, seeded

• 1 Tbsp optional garnish: cilantro, chopped

• For the Beef Patties

• 2 lbs ground beef, 80% lean/20% fat

• 3 to 4 Tbsp spice mix or seasoning (your choice)

• 1 head lettuce, washed, leaves separated

• 3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced into 8 thick slices

• 1 red onion, sliced into 8 slices

• 1 cup queso blanco dip

• 8 burger buns (Belqui recommends with sesame seeds)

Directions

• Make the Queso Blanco Dip
• In an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and melt.
• Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Lower heat to low. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened, less than a minute.
• Add the Monterey jack cheese and the queso blanco dip. Stir well and cook until it starts to melt. Add the seasoning or spice mix of. your choice.
• Once the cheese has fully melted (it will be a bit stringy), remove from heat and keep warm until you are ready to spoon over your burger and/or serve as a dip.
• Make Your Burgers
• Shape the ground beef into 8 patties, using ¼ lb for each. Pat the top section so that each burger is slightly flattened.
• Season the patties with Casa M Spice Cattle Drive spice blend on both sides. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
• Prep the garnishes: wash the lettuce and separate the leaves. Wash and slice the onions and tomatoes.
• Preheat the grill. You want the temperature to be around medium-high to high heat, which is around 375° to 400°.
• Place the patties on the grill and cook according to preference:
  Recommended grilling times:
  • Rare: 5–6 minutes
  • Medium-rare: 6-7 minutes
  • Medium: 8–9 minutes
  • Medium-well to well-done: 9+ minutes
• If you like your burger bread toasted, place the buns on the grill until they turn golden-brown, 30 to 45 seconds per side.
• Time to build your queso blanco burger! Garnish each bottom bun with lettuce, 1 slice of tomato, and 1 slice of red onion. Place the patty on top of the onion. Spoon about 2 Tbsp of queso dip on each grilled burger, or to taste. Serve the remaining queso blanco dip—very hot and garnished with scallions, sliced jalapeños, diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro— as a side, with tortilla chips. Go 4th and feast!

Notes

• Remember that all grills heat differently and that where you live and the weather can affect the cooking temperatures, as well. Adjust burger-grilling times accordingly, says Belqui.