Southwest Chipotle Burgers

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Burgers:
1 1/2 lb ground chuck or ground sirloin
1-1/2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce
1 1/2 T adobo sauce (from the chipotle chili can)
1/4 C grated onion
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t cumin
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t pepper

Chipotle-lime Mayo:
1/2 C Mayo
2 t lime juice
1 1/2 t adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle chilis)
2T chopped fresh cilantro

4-6 good quality buns
1 tomato
1-2 avocado
lettuce
optional: pepper jack, cotija, or queso fresco cheese

Start by making the sauce.  Place mayo, adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl.  Now this is the hard part. Stir it all together. Cover it and set in the fridge.

Now place the beef in a bowl and gently crumble with your fingers. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, grated onion, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Use your hands (yes, your hands!) to gently mix things together. If you go crazy and over-work ground beef it gets a yucky texture. Just mix it enough to distribute the ingredients and call it good.  Divide into 4 patties (or 6 little ones) and place on a preheated grill, indoor grill pan, or skillet.  When the burgers are done to your liking let them stand for 5 minutes off the grill/pan and then pop onto your prepared buns. Top with chipotle-lime mayo, tomato slices, avocado slices, and a crisp piece of lettuce.

Teriyaki Pineapple Turkey Burgers

20 oz. can pineapple slices
1/2 c. Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze OR Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
2 lbs. ground turkey OR chicken
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
8 slices cheddar or monterey jack cheese
8 whole grain hamburger buns

Drain pineapple; reserve 1/2 cup juice. Stir together teriyaki sauce and reserved pineapple juice in small bowl. Mix together turkey, ginger, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup teriyaki mixture. Shape into 8 patties. Grill patties, brushing with remaining teriyaki mixture, until desired doneness. Place pineapple slices on grill and cook until lightly golden brown. Serve burgers on buns with cheese and pineapple.

Note: I cut back on the pineapple juice. In my opinion, it needs a stronger teriyaki flavor than this creates.