Burger and Fries Friday: Meatloaf Burgers

It’s no secret by now that we love burgers in my house, right? I mean, just look at how many burger recipes I’ve posted here. But while I certainly love eating them, I don’t always love making them. If you cook them inside rather than grill them, they can easily turn into a greasy mess. And sometimes the outside of the burger is perfectly charred but the inside isn’t cooked yet. Am I the only one who finds burger-cooking tedious, or are there others out there?

Anyway, this burger is the solution to that problem. Talk about a revelation: The burger cooks in the oven, directly on its bun. Awesome, right? Wait until you taste them.

I’m calling these “meatloaf burgers” because that’s what they remind me of in both flavor and texture. They’re so flavorful and juicy. And don’t worry about the juices from the raw meat seeping into the bread. I didn’t find that to be an issue at all for me – I think because the bread is toasted first before the meat is added.

You could easily customize these burgers to use whatever mix-ins and whatever toppings you like. Some suggestions, all of which I’m going to try at some point: Bacon. Green chilies and Mexican spices. Bacon. BBQ sauce and French-fried onions. And oh, did I mention bacon? You could mix it up a hundred different ways; the important part of this recipe is the method. It's genius!

Meatloaf Burgers
adapted from Sunshine and Bones

4 (6-inch) sub rolls or bolillo rolls, split in half lengthwise
1 1/4 cup cornflakes, crushed
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons ketchup, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Adjust the oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Bake rolls, cut side up, on wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

3. Combine cornflakes, onion, milk, 4 tablespoons ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, garlic powder, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add meat and knead gently until well combined.

4. Top bottom halves of toasted rolls evenly with meat mixture, spreading meat to edges of rolls (be sure you spread the meat to the edges, or the rolls will burn!). Mix remaining ketchup with brown sugar and brush the top of meat mixture evenly. Bake until meat registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes. Top burgers with cheese and continue to bake until cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Top with the roll tops and serve.