Sweet and Spicy Glazed Korean BBQ Burger Recipe

Burgers provide a great base for a variety of toppings and customizations, but if you really want to think outside the box, you’ll want to follow the lead of Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins. Her recipe for a sweet and spicy glazed Korean BBQ burger is the perfect opportunity to experiment with this classic dish. Watkins raves, “There’s so much to love about this burger… the salty-sweet gochujang glaze, the fresh herbs, the runny egg, the seared burger, and the tangy kimchi—go for it!”

While it may seem like a complex dish to make, she assures readers that “while it looks impressive, it’s not complicated or difficult to make. A combination of homemade and store-bought ingredients and components makes for a tasty project that’s not laborious.” While her burger recipe takes the dish into a new realm, Watkins stays traditional when it comes to sides. “I would put everything on fries to soak up some of those delicious juices,” she says. Alternatively, she points out that you can serve the burger with Korean sides, suggesting “potato salad, pickled cucumbers, or pickled radishes—have fun with it!”

Read more: 41 Must-Try Hot Sandwich Recipes

Gather the ingredients for sweet and spicy Korean BBQ burgers

To make the glaze (which is fundamental to the recipe), you’ll need soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, gochujang paste, mirin, garlic cloves (peeled and minced), fresh ginger (minced), and sesame oil. Next, grab some hamburger buns, softened butter, and olive oil, and divide the ground beef into 120g balls. To assemble the burger, grab some mayonnaise, kimchi, fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fresh green onions, crispy onions, fried egg, and sesame seeds (a combination of black and white sesame seeds adds visual appeal).

When it comes to fried eggs, you may have a favorite method, or maybe your success rate is more variable. If so, Watkins offers some tips: “I have a special pan that I reserve for cooking eggs. It’s a nonstick, ceramic-lined pan…that has never failed me.” Another important tip is to be patient while frying the eggs, sticking to medium or medium-low heat to ensure the yolks don’t become rubbery. Watkins also recommends “refraining from poking or stirring my eggs more than necessary to prevent the yolk from breaking.”

Step 1: Add the glaze ingredients to a saucepan

Place the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, gochujang, mirin, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a small saucepan.

Step 2: Whisk and simmer

Whisk to combine and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking frequently.

Step 3: Cook the icing

Let the glaze cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat and set aside. (You can also transfer the glaze to a bowl for easier brushing.)

Step 4: Butter the buns

Meanwhile, brush the burger buns with softened butter.

Step 5: Toast the buns

Toast the buns (in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a toaster oven) until lightly browned. Set aside.

Step 6: Heat the oil

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Step 7: Start cooking the beef

Once hot, add the ground beef cut into portions and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 8: Press the meat into patties

Using a spatula, firmly press the ground beef into patties and continue cooking until the bottom is well seared, about 2 minutes more.

Step 9: Flip and glaze the pancakes

Flip the burgers and brush generously with glaze. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes or until the other sides of the burgers are nicely seared. Reduce the heat if you see the glaze starting to burn.

Step 10: Glaze and let the burgers rest

Remove burgers from heat, flip and brush other side with glaze. Let rest 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 11: Spread mayonnaise on the buns

Spread mayonnaise on the inside of both toasted hamburger buns, top and bottom.

Step 12: Add a pancake

Place a hamburger patty on the bottom bun and (optionally) brush it with additional glaze.

Step 13: Add the toppings

Top the patties with kimchi, cilantro, green onions and crispy onions.

Step 14: Garnish with a fried egg

Add a fried egg to each burger and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Step 15: Finish assembling the burgers and serve

Cover with the top bread and serve.

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Korean BBQ Burger Recipe

Can I add cheese to a Korean inspired burger?

If you’re a fan of traditional burgers, this recipe might seem to be missing a key ingredient: cheese. While the fried egg adds a rich, creamy component that can replace a cheese topping, it’s not quite the same thing. Luckily, Watkins assures us that cheese is a great addition to this glazed Korean BBQ burger.

“American cheese would be ideal, as there’s a certain culinary history between the U.S., Korea, and American cheese—it’s a popular addition to a lot of fusion recipes. You wouldn’t be straying too far from the flavor profile with a few of those melty slices,” she notes. For best results and to ensure the cheese melts properly, Watkins says, “I would add the cheese during the last 1 to 2 minutes of the resting time, after you’ve coated the last bit of glaze. The residual heat should make the cheese nice and melty.”

What are some other uses for this Korean BBQ glaze?

When you taste this sweet and spicy glaze, your mind will immediately start thinking of ways to enjoy it in other dishes. The combination of soy sauce, gochujang, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil is nuanced and layered, and it pairs perfectly with meat. Watkins offers a few suggestions for repurposing it, but you’ll definitely want to experiment with it in other ways, too.

“I purposely made a double batch of this glaze while testing,” Watkins says. She used some to coat chicken wings, noting that it was delicious paired with a blue cheese sauce. “I’ve used the glaze as a marinade and basting sauce for chicken breasts. I could also see this glaze being great on smoked ribs and shrimp, too!” The possibilities are endless, so be sure to double or triple the glaze recipe.

Read the original article on Mashed.