Spice Up Your Grill Game With This Chorizo Burger Recipe (and Some Malbec)

Anybody can do classic burgers as the coals under grilling season continue to warm up, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to pull out some stops and show your friends and neighbors who’s going to be king of the grill over the next few months.

One way to make your burgers a little different than the usual is to change the type of meat your using. All-beef patties are perfect, but those patties get perfect-er (yes, we know it’s not a word) when you add more meat. In the case of the recipe below, which was created by chef Aarón Sánchez for Terrazas de los Andes, that second meat is the always-delicious chorizo.

This combination of flavors — beef, chorizo, adobo seasoning, red chimichurri sauce, and pickled onion salad — was chosen specifically to pair with Terrazas de los Andes’ Reserva Malbec. With a spicy character that delivers black pepper notes mixed with chocolate on the nose and a delicate body that is fairly juicy (and bursting with black fruit notes), the wine compliments the spicy chorizo and that slight char flavor imparted from grilling.

Chorizo and Beef Burger with Grilled Sweet Potato

(4 to 5 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chorizo (beef or pork)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups red chimichurri***
• 2 cups arugula or farm greens
• .5 cup Aarón’s Adobo*
• .5 cup pickled onions**
• 8 oz Mexican crema or sour cream
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• .5 tsp of salt
• 5 pre-sliced burger buns
• 3 limes; juice and zest of 2 limes plus juice of 1 lime
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into quarter-inch thick medallions
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped with stems
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
2. Make cilantro-lime crema: Add crema (or sour cream), jalapeno, lime juice, and zest from two limes, cilantro, and salt to a blender or food processor and combine until smooth. Remove from blender jar and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine chorizo, ground beef, and Aarón’s Adobo. Mix well. Season with salt and divide into four to five equal parts and gently shape into patties. Press a shallow thumbprint into the center of each patty.
4. Cook patties on the grill, approximately three minutes per side (for medium-rare) or longer based on preference.
5. Season sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and Aarón’s Adobo. Grill for 2 minutes per side.
6. Remove patties and sweet potatoes from the grill and set them aside. Lightly toast buns on grill for approximately 30 seconds or until golden brown.
7. Add arugula, pickled onions, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and juice of one lime to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly toss until well mixed.
8. To assemble each burger: Spread cilantro-lime crema on the bottom bun; add patty, sweet potato slice (or slices!), and red chimichurri; top with arugula and onion salad; and finish with top bun. Enjoy!

*AARÓN’S ADOBO

(Makes approximately 1.5 cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and torn into small pieces
• 2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and torn into small pieces
• .5 cup dried whole oregano (preferably Mexican)
• .25 cup cumin seeds
• .25 cup coriander seeds
• .25 cup fennel seeds
• .25 cup yellow mustard seeds
• .25 cup Spanish paprika (pimento), preferably sweet or hot
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder

Method:

1. Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the cumin, coriander, fennel, and mustard seeds, along with the pieces of pasilla and ancho chiles. Toast, stirring constantly, until it’s very aromatic and just begins to smoke, about 3 minutes.
2. Dump the mixture onto a plate and let it cool to room temperature. Grind it to a fine powder in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder.
3. Put the powder in a large bowl and add the oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir really well to combine.
4. Store the adobo in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in a cool, dark place for up to a month.

**PICKLED ONIONS

(Makes about 2 cups)

Ingredients:

• 6 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
• 5 cups red wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• .25 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except the onions in a heavy medium saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the onion slices, separating them into individual rings. Let the mixture come back to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until onions soften and wilt, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let the mixture cool completely. Transfer the onions and their pickling liquid to a quart-size glass jar or divide among Tupperware. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

***RED CHIMICHURRI

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves of garlic, roasted
• 3 limes, juiced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, roasted
• 1 can chipotle with adobo sauce
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, stems included
• .5 red onion (roasted or grilled)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp pimento (smoked paprika)
• 1 tbsp salt

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until salsa-like consistency.

Read more: Mexican Cuisine Guide