Today is National Hamburger Day, so we’re kicking off grilling season with a burger recipe!
Officially New Jersey is “The Garden State,” but it’s also the well known as the “Diner Capital of the World.” The history of the Jersey diner dates back to 1912 with horse-drawn lunch wagons that were owned by two brothers in Bayonne, NJ. Their company alone went on to build over 2,000 diners, often resembling railroad cars.
Today, if you ask any New Jersey resident or frequent visitor what one of their favorite diner foods is, chances are pretty good that they’ll tell you “Taylor Ham and Cheese.” Some call it pork roll, but we’ll stay away from that argument here, because in the end, whatever you call it, it’s still delicious.
Last week we were planning to make burgers for dinner, but only had one pound of ground beef. That is a bit less than we usually prefer to feed our family of five for a basic burger. So we opened up the refrigerator to see what we might be able to do to bulk up the burgers when the idea of the Jersey Diner Breakfast Burger came to us. This burger is definitely reminiscent of the traditional Jersey sandwich with the addition of an egg, and of course, some SPK (salt/pepper/ketchup).
If you enjoy fun new takes on burgers and are looking to bring a little taste of a New Jersey classic into your home, try these out!
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
6 oz pkg Taylor Ham or pork roll
1 egg white
5 eggs
5 slices American cheese
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
5 Kaiser or hard rolls, sliced (basic hamburger buns would work too if that’s what you have or prefer)
Salt
Pepper
Ketchup
Directions
Preheat your outdoor grill or indoor grill pan.
Place the ground beef into a mixing bowl. Chop the Taylor Ham into small cubes and add to the ground beef. Gently beat the egg white in a small bowl and add to the meat mixture. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper – it doesn’t need too much salt since the Taylor Ham adds salt as well. Next, using your hands or a fork, gently combine the meat and egg mixture until well combined. Don’t over mix because that can lead to tough burgers. (Note: You can leave out the egg white, but with the chopped Taylor Ham in the meat mixture, it helps to have a binder to keep the burger together.) Then, divide the mixture and form into 5 equal patties.
Grill the burgers for approximately 8-10 minutes for medium doneness, turning once, over direct medium-high heat until the internal temperature reaches 140.
While the burgers are cooking, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet or on a griddle over medium-high heat. Break the eggs and cook until the whites are set, about 5 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
Preheat your broiler and move a baking rack to the top third of your oven. Brush the inside of the Kaiser or hard rolls with melted butter. Place them cut side up on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until lightly toasted. Keep an eye on them because this should only take 1-2 minutes at most and they’ll burn quickly.
Finally, it’s assembly time! Place a patty on the bottom roll, add a slice of cheese, and top with a fried egg. Finish with a bit of SPK to taste, add the top roll, and enjoy!
