grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Best Meatloaf Ever. Period.

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Best meatloaf ever. Period.

Seriously. This is the best meatloaf ever. I found the recipe in one of my favorite old cookbooks—The Ozarks Collections (1987). So far, this cookbook has never let me down. It’s tagline is best recipes from the heritage and traditions of a storied region.

The Ozarks Collection

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Grilled Basil Burger Recipe

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Grilled Basil Burger

 

Looking for a special burger recipe for Labor Day (or any day)?  This grilled basil burger recipe is it! John has whipped up these burgers several times this summer. I’ve been planning to share his recipe for weeks, but here we are nearing the end of August, and I’m just getting around to it. One bite and you’ll taste what you’ve been missing. I apologize in advance for waiting so long.

John and his Big Green Egg

John at the helm of his Big Green Egg. Basil burgers and spicy sausage…

John uses a Big Green Egg, but I am confident this burger recipe will turn out great on any grill or smoker. Also, we highly recommend Ozark Oak Hardwood Lump Charcoal made in Yellville, Arkansas. John swears by this hardwood charcoal which adds a light, smoky aroma and doesn’t overpower the food. If you live in Arkansas, look for it at your local grocery store. In Dallas, try Jacksons Home and Garden or Elliot’s Hardware.

Okay, without further delay, let’s move on to the recipe.

This flavorful burger is Italian inspired with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian red wine and Fontina cheese. My homemade basil pesto (in lieu of traditional condiments) adds a fresh flavor. Of course, you can add your favorite fixings when it’s time to build your burger, but I recommend tomato, red onion and arugula. (I added pickled radishes because I had them in my fridge—that’s the odd looking reddish-orange thing in my first picture). We used grill sourdough which added a light touch. Sometimes regular hamburger buns add too much bread for my taste.

If you give this a try for Labor Day, let us know what you think!

Grilled Basil Burger

Print Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds freshly ground sirloin
  • 1/2 pound freshly ground pork
  • 1/4 cup medium to full bodied red wine
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed minced fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1/4 cup fresh Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
  • 2 heaping Tablespoons minced garlic
  • sourdough bread slices
  • Italian Fontina cheese or other white cheese such as Gruyere, Provolone, or Gouda
  • Arugula leaves
  • Tomato slices
  • Red onion slices thinly sliced
  • Fresh Basil Pesto recipe HERE

Method
 

  1. Mix first eight ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties or sliders. Mix thoroughly but avoid over-handling / over-compacting meat.
  2. Let patties rest thirty minutes at room temperature before grilling.
  3. Prepare medium-hot fire charcoal grill. When grill is ready, brush rack with vegetable oil so that meat doesn't stick. Place patties on rack, cover, cook, turn only once until done to preference, approximately 5 minutes each side (depending on size). Immediately before removing from grill, top with cheese.
  4. Let burgers rest for five minutes.
  5. Brush sourdough with olive oil; grill lightly.
  6. Spread basil pesto on bread. Add toppings of your choice such as tomatoes, red onion slices, arugula, etc.
  7. Enjoy!
Grilled Basil Burgers!!! see the basil and sundried tomato? yum.

So juicy! See the bits of basil and sun-dried tomatoes in the meat? Yum.

 

Grilled Basil Burgers topped with Fontina Cheese

Fontina cheese is creamy and luscious. Melts evenly too.

 

Happy Grilling!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Turkey-Spinach Burger with a Fried Egg on Top

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Turkey-Spinach Burger with Fried Egg

#ifyoulikeitputaneggonit

My husband and I whipped up these grilled turkey-spinach burgers a few days ago when it was practically spring-like in Dallas. I added every herb growing in our garden along with spinach to make them extra aromatic and healthy.

Herbs used in Turkey-Spinach Burger

parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

  • 2 pounds ground turkey breast
  • chopped herbs of your choice (1-2 tablespoons of each)
  • 1 egg to mix with meat; extra eggs to top
  • 1/4 cup chopped spinach
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • cayenne to taste

Method

Mix an egg into your ground turkey to bind everything together. Add salt, pepper and cayenne.

turkey-spinach burger

Mix in chopped herbs. I didn’t really measure but once I chopped everything up I had a little less than a cup.

chopped herbs in turkey-spinach burger

I meant to add my spinach with the herbs but I forgot so in it goes. I am a big believer in sneaking veggies into ground meat…

turkey-spinach burger

John grilled our burgers on his Big Green Egg. He’s does amazing work…

turkey-spinach burger

Now for the bonus—add a fried egg on top. I prefer my egg sunny side up, but over easy would be great too. Serve with or without a bun.

Look at all the yumminess.

turkey-spinach burger

 

Grace Grits and Gardening

“Wonder what day God created the egg? How should we know? We should not question. Our stay on earth is not for long. Let us rejoice and believe and give thanks. Eat an egg.”
― Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

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