14 Methods to Use Up Leftover Burger Meat, In keeping with Cooks

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“It’s good to maintain it easy when repurposing leftover burgers. Make a easy tomato sauce (or you need to use a jarred sauce), crumble your burger meat with the again of a fork, and fold it into the sauce. Prepare dinner your pasta simply in need of al dente, then add to the sauce and stir to mix. End with recent Parm, basil, and a glass of wine for a fast and simple no-waste meal.” — Kyle St. John, government chef at Harvest Restaurant in Laguna Seaside, California

Mother-approved baked beans

“My mother, Gladys Walker, who is legendary for her blue-ribbon pies on the county honest, can be an ideal prepare dinner. I like to make use of leftover burgers in one in every of her home-cooked dishes like her Cowboy Beans, which is one in every of her simpler baked bean dishes.

Prepare dinner one pound bacon, minimize into one-inch slices, over medium warmth; put aside, then add about one pound leftover crumbled burger meat to the identical skillet; add chopped onion from one small onion and prepare dinner till mushy. Then add 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup ketchup, and 1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce; stir to mix. Add 15 ounces butter beans, drained; 30 ounces canned pork and beans with their liquid; and 15 ounces pink kidney beans with their liquid. Stir to include. Then pour bean combination right into a casserole dish and bake at 325 levels F for about one hour.” — Carl Walker, normal supervisor and former government chef at Brennan’s of Houston

Subsequent-level nachos

“My favourite day-old hamburger meat recipe is for ‘nachos’ deluxe. I take advantage of tostada shells [rather than tortilla chips], because it’s simpler to excellent the ratio of beef to rice to black beans and cheese. I take advantage of a mix of cheddar and Chihuahua: one for taste, one for meltiness. Then I broil the nachos till they’re molten golden brown and crispy, and prime with a drizzle of bitter cream, some torn cilantro and scallions, some pico de gallo, and a small avocado, diced.

As for the meat prep, I like to small-dice it in oil, bloom some store-bought Goya taco seasoning in suet (oil if you happen to should), after which toss the 2 to mix. For nachos integrity, you could pressure your black beans totally and layer the nachos correctly: tostada shells minimize into half moons, then beef and beans, then cheese. Prepare dinner and garnish.” — Jonathon Sawyer, chef/associate of Kindling in Chicago

“Moisture is at all times the key to sustaining the standard of the meat. Use a scorching pan on medium warmth, flippantly oiled, and when you lay the hamburger on it add a tablespoon of water and canopy with a lid to assist it regain some moisture. After three minutes, flip, and heat for an additional three minutes. From there, I’ll break up the meat, including cumin, tomato, cilantro, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, and water, then proceed to prepare dinner all collectively within the pan for 5 minutes. You should use this mix as a topping for nachos, or a taco filling.” — Vanessa Bordoy, government chef at White Limozeen in Nashville

A Thai favourite

“Beef larb is an effective way to remodel leftover hamburger patties. Add the meat to a heat pan, crumble it, and let it heat up sufficient simply to take the chilliness off. Season with fish sauce, recent lime juice, chili powder, thinly sliced onion or shallot, mint, cilantro, and floor toasted rice. Serve with lettuce cups.” — James Bailey, chef at Momofuku Las Vegas

Taco evening

“Take any leftover burgers — they are often beef, pork, hen, veggie, or actually something you’ve! Crumble the burgers up and sauté with onion, garlic, jalapeño, and tomato (and even tomatillo) to take advantage of scrumptious taco filling or salad topping. Throw in some crushed eggs and prepare dinner till scrambled for a breakfast taco filling. Throw in a can of beans, chili powder, cumin, and inventory, and simmer till a thick sauce varieties and you’ve got chili beans.” — Rick Martinez, chef and creator of Mi Cocina

A grilled cheese replace

“Leftover hamburger meat can have many various makes use of, however my favourite is a meaty grilled cheese. You should use what’s already in your fridge; I often have Muenster cheese readily available and can add caramelized onions and sautéed candy peppers.” — Yulissa Acosta, chef de delicacies at Fireside ’61 in Scottsdale, Arizona

When doubtful, make fried rice

“Fried rice is a particularly forgiving dish for many leftover proteins. Throw in scallions, minced ginger, celery, egg, cilantro, peas, carrots…really, chef’s selection! — Valerie Gordon, chocolatier and chef/ proprietor of Valerie Confections in Los Angeles

Rice bowls two methods

“Take the patty from the burger and crumble it into small items; reheat it in a pan with oil, including soy sauce, mirin, diced onions, and another aromatic components like garlic or inexperienced onions; and lay it throughout rice to make a small gyudonburi (Japanese beef rice bowl).

You should use the identical components to make a ‘hambagu’ steak donburi (Japanese hamburger rice bowl). For added texture within the rice, take your leftover buns, toast them within the oven till laborious throughout, roughly mix them, and blend them into the rice so as to add some crunchy depth.” — Sangtae Park, government chef and associate at Chicago’s HIS Hospitality Group, which incorporates Omakase Yume, TenGoku Aburiya, and Bonyeon 

“In my home we often make turkey burgers. One of the frequent issues we do with the leftover meat was impressed by a visit to Spain. There was a quite simple dish in Madrid we had which was most likely my daughter’s favourite meal of the entire journey. It was a easy burger patty on rice with a wealthy tomato sauce over it. We eat a variety of rice bowls at residence, particularly after an extended evening of service. It’s prepared in minutes and by no means disappoints.” — James Galbraith, chef/proprietor of soon-to-open PostBoy in New Buffalo, Michigan

A meaty eggplant dish

“Take the leftover hamburger meat and switch it right into a Turkish stuffed eggplant [also called Karniyarik]. Begin by cooking down onions, peppers, garlic, and tomato with cumin and coriander. Then, break up the bottom beef and blend it in with all the opposite components to make a flavorful stuffing for the eggplant. I wish to prime all of it off with a tahini cilantro sauce, candy pepper relish, and toasted pine nuts.” — Tim Kolanko, government chef and culinary director, City Kitchen Group in Southern California

Good-as-new noodles

“Leftover hamburger meat makes for fast and simple dan dan noodles, a Sichuan dish that consists of spicy floor meat over noodles. Begin by breaking apart the chilly burger patties into crumbles, then season with chili, sesame oil, five-spice, and Sichuan peppers. From there, add the meat to a scorching, stainless-steel pan with canola oil and sear it earlier than including loads of black bean sauce — yow will discover ready-to-use jars at your native Asian grocery retailer. As soon as the sauce simmers, spoon it over recent noodles and luxuriate in!” — Marcel Heiduk, government chef at Venteux in Chicago 

“Crumble them up and add them to some sort of sauce for pasta or noodles. Leftover burger meat can simply be integrated into gravies like those utilized in lo mein. Attempt a dish with a variety of liquid to counteract the dryness of a cooked burger.” — Jon Kung, chef and creator of Kung Meals

A traditional casserole

“One among my favourite dishes once I was a child was tater tot casserole, which makes use of floor beef, sautéed diced onions, and historically a can or two of cream of mushroom soup, with a splash of milk. That is all combined and positioned in a baking dish, then topped with frozen tater tots, adopted by shredded cheese towards the tip of baking. It may be an effective way to make use of leftover cooked hamburgers — simply break them aside and crumble barely. These days, I additionally wish to make my very own mushroom gravy in lieu of the canned stuff. Throw in some sautéed sliced mushrooms and it is even higher.” — Amanda Salas, government chef at Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan

Straightforward empanadas…or home made scorching pockets

“Repurpose leftover burger meat right into a scrumptious and flavorful empanada. Take your cooked burger meat and add it to a meals processor with onions, peppers, spices, and jalapeños for some spice. Then mix your floor beef combination with shredded gouda cheese and spoon it into empanada dough. It is a nice solution to scale back waste and provides your burgers a brand new life!” — Jose Horrach, government chef at Chica & The Don in New York Metropolis

Do-it-yourself scorching pockets are nice within the air fryer. Crumble up the leftover hamburgers, season them with paprika and chili powder, and fill in pre-made pastry dough with shredded mozzarella or cheddar. Then prepare dinner within the air fryer till golden and serve together with your favourite dipping sauce.” — Christopher Weathered, chef/co-owner of Mill and Essential in Kerhonkson, New York

A hearty breakfast

“I at all times grill for now and for later, ensuring there are leftover cooked hamburgers to make a ‘next-day’ beef hash breakfast skillet with potatoes, eggs, onions, and jalapeños — all smothered in gravy. It’s a play on picadillo, a well-liked filling for breakfast tacos with floor beef that’s stewed with potatoes and chilis. For my Southern-influenced, one-pan model, I finely chop leftover hamburger meat so it cooks like floor beef earlier than stewing it in home made gravy with cracked eggs and cheese. This hearty, all-in-one breakfast skillet is a Southern deal with — particularly when served with scorching, fresh-out-of-the-oven, buttermilk biscuits.” — Brandi Key, culinary director at Dish Society and Each day Collect in Houston

An iteration of egg rolls

“Retaining with the cheeseburger theme, you possibly can crumble the leftover cooked hamburgers and blend with some diced caramelized onions to create a filling for cheeseburger egg rolls. Place a scoop of the crumbled burger meat and a slice of American cheese in an egg roll wrapper. Then roll up and fry till crispy. Serve with Thousand Island dressing.” — Amanda Salas, government chef at Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan