The Best Cast Iron Skillet Burgers | It’s Not Complicated with Katie Lee Biegel

I've always been a believer that burgers are best when cooked in a cast iron skillet or griddle. They’re juicier, get a better crust, cook more evenly, and just taste better in general. I love to make what my family calls Logan County Burgers, named for my grandma who was from Logan County, WV. The patties are very thin, as they needed to make their meat go farther. They’re very simple, and cooked with melted American cheese on buttered and toasted white bread, very much like a grilled cheese with a burger tucked inside. I am adding a little extra this time, with a bacon jam by request of my husband, Ryan, and serving them with oven fries. These burgers actually won the very first Burger Bash in the New York City Wine and Food Festival back in 2008. People absolutely lost their minds over it, saying it was a patty melt, not a burger, with one chef demanding a recount. In this episode, I visit burger scholar George Motz at his restaurant Hamburger America and he puts the argument to rest — they are in fact a burger. Fair warning, things get a little chaotic in the kitchen this time around, but nonetheless we power through. The burgers get made, and they’re absolutely worth it, and I ended up at an urgent care afterwards. If you enjoyed cooking along, be sure to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode of It’s Not Complicated. The Best Cast Iron Skillet Burgers Makes 6 Tomato Bacon Jam: 12 ounces bacon, chopped 1 shallot, minced ½ tsp chili powder ½ tsp dried thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 3 tbsp light brown sugar (you can also use maple syrup or molasses) 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 to 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Oven Fries: 2 medium large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into about ½-inch-thick matchsticks ¼ cup avocado oil or any neutral oil 1 tsp garlic powder Kosher salt 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Burgers: 1 pound 80/20-percent lean ground beef 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 small-medium yellow onion, ½ grated and ½ thinly sliced 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 12 slices white bread 12 slices American cheese Tomato Bacon Jam: In a large skillet, add bacon and place over medium-low heat. Cook until it’s about halfway done, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add chili powder, thyme, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced. Add tomato paste and Worcestershire. Cook, allowing tomato paste to lightly caramelize. Add one more splash of water, scraping up any bits, and bring to a simmer. Carefully place the mixture into a food processor and pulse until paste-like. Allow to cool (it will continue to thicken). Oven Fries: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven. In a large bowl, toss the cut fries, avocado oil, garlic powder, and salt together. Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the baking sheet and spread the fries. Bake 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Garnish with parsley. Burgers: Combine the beef, egg, grated onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix and form into 6 thin patties. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of the burgers, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and cook the remaining patties. Butter one side of each slice of bread. On one slice, spread bacon jam, top with a piece of cheese, slices of onion, burger, a slice of cheese, and second piece of bread (buttered side up). Preheat a second clean skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Serve with mustard, ketchup, tomatoes, and pickles. --------------------------------- GET THE RECIPES FROM THE EPISODE: https://katieleekitchen.substack.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new videos: click SUBSCRIBE above! 00:00 Kitchen Chaos 00:15 NYC Hamburger America Burger Talk 00:32 Logan County Burger Story 01:25 Off Menu Chester Order 01:50 Bacon Jam 04:53 Oven Fries Crispy Method 05:31 Mixing Thin Burger Patties 06:47 Skillet Sear And Smoke Tips 07:57 Build Burgers And Melting Cheese 08:49 Katie’s Cut and Ryan’s Flip Fail 10:34 Dig In! --------------------------------- SIGN UP for the Weekly Newsletter: https://katieleekitchen.substack.com/ MORE recipes: https://katieleekitchen.com/ SHOP my favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/katieleebiegel LISTEN to my podcast for free on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0J0AUWb... LISTEN to my Podcast for free on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... CONNECT WITH ME: IG:   / katieleebiegel     / allonthetableofficial   TikTok:   / katieleebiegel     / allonthetableofficial   Facebook:   / katieleebiegel   YouTube:    / @katieleekitchen