Comfort Me With
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[Photograph: @sstiavetti]

Note: Ground pork and ground beef can be substituted for pork round and beef chuck, just omit step 1.

About the author: Stephanie Stiavetti is a writer and cookbook author in San Francisco. Her food blog, The Culinary Life, is a repository for all things comfort food related, from savory dinners to transcendental desserts. She also publishes a monthly culinary newsletter full of stories, review, and helpful tips. Stephanie's cookbook, Melt: the Art of Macaroni and Cheese, celebrates America's favorite dish by recreating it with specialty cheeses. Available for preorder now.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: Serves 4
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Special equipment: Food processor, heavy-bottomed non-stick pan

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound boneless pork top round (see note above)
  • 3/4 pound boneless beef chuck (see note above)
  • 1/4 pound mild cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 4 burger buns
  • 8 Romaine lettuce leaves
  • 2 beefsteak tomatos, sliced thick

Procedures

  1. Trim any sinew or tough connective tissue from pork and beef. Cut the pork and beef into 1-inch cubes and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or two large plates (see note above). Set the plate in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and place 1/3 of meat in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped but not mushy, 10 to 15 short pulses. Transfer ground meat to large bowl and repeat with remaining two batches.

  2. Add the shredded cheese to the bowl with the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently fold the meat and cheese until well combined. Form the meat into four wide, flat patties about 1 1/2-inches thick. Place the patties on a plate and allow them to sit, covered, for 20 minutes.

  3. Heat a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan over medium flame. Fry the burgers two at a time, if your pan's size will allow it. Heat the burgers until they are well-browned and crisp on one side, then flip them over and repeat. Once the burgers are done, place them on a bun with lettuce and tomato. Repeat with the remaining burgers. Serve immediately.