The Best Burger!
Over the past few years, I have been working with Sue and Rodney Tipton on food and wine pairings using Sue’s amazing wines from Acquiesce Vineyard. I love her wines; Acquiesce is the sole vintner producing whites and rosés in the otherwise red-producing Lodi valley. I really appreciate how Rodney creates beautiful recipes to complement the different varieties she produces.
One such recipe and pairing is Rodney’s Acquiesce Burgers, a perfect pairing with Acquiesce Grenache Blanc. Mark and I were blown away by how good the combination of ingredients is, as well as the “smash burger” cooking method. Everything about the recipe is perfect. And then with the wine on top of that? A perfect meal and pairing, and a great burger to serve for Memorial Day Weekend
~ David
Rodney’s Acquiesce Burgers
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
- 12 ounces brisket, cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
- 1 cup pitted and sliced Castelvetrano olives
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 shallots, sliced pole to pole
- 4 brioche hamburger buns
- unsalted butter
- 4 slices American cheese (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chiffonade of iceberg lettuce (see notes)
Instructions
- Using a meat grinder, grind the two meats together, alternating the cubes of meat, then gently mix with your hands (see notes). Divide the mixture into eight 3-ounce balls and set aside; leave the balls of meat fairly loose.
- Butter the inside of the buns and place them on the griddle or grill until golden, and transfer to serving plates.
- Mix mayonnaise and Dijon thoroughly and slather the grilled buns, tops and bottoms. Divide the sliced olives over bottom half of each bun.
- In cast iron skillet, grill the sliced shallot but not to caramelization stage and set aside.
- Place the eight ground meat balls in very hot skillet or griddle and press down with spatula until each is flat shaped but not too thin. They will be a bit loose. Let the patties cook for 2 minutes, check to make sure they are no longer sticking, and flip them over.
- Place a slice of American cheese on four of the patties and cook all eight patties for another 2 minutes. Stack the patties so that each of two burgers have a cheese slice in the middle.
- Transfer doubled patties to the dressed buns. Divide grilled shallots over top and then add 2 tablespoons of the lettuce to each.
- Serve with potato chips on the side, and enjoy with chilled Acquiesce Vineyard’s Grenache Blanc.
- Serves 4.
- Notes:
- If you don’t have a meat grinder, ask your butcher to grind them for you, then mix them together.
- Rodney uses American cheese but a mild cheddar or other good, mild melting cheese works well.
- The recipe calls for a chiffonade of Iceberg lettuce, but Romaine works, too.
© 2025 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
May 17, 2025 at 6:17 amThat looks good – I’m cooking a BBQ for 20 people tomorrow. You made me think about chopping the olives and mixing them into the burger meat!
Valentina
May 17, 2025 at 6:54 amDavid, your photos look like a magazine cover. Beautiful! Castelvetrano olives are my favorite, and seeing them in this burger is mouth-watering. Love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Barb
May 17, 2025 at 7:12 amBoth the burgers and the wine sound wonderful! I would never have thought to put olives on a hamburger bun, but why not?! These are perfect for Memorial Day!
Becker
May 17, 2025 at 10:29 amThis is must try!!
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
May 17, 2025 at 10:40 amI grew up on cheeseburgers and I gotta say they are among my favorite food. However, I wasn’t aware of the ‘smash burger’ cooking method- now I gotta try it! Forget about fine dining- just give me my smash burger! Thanks David!
Gerlinde de Broekert
May 17, 2025 at 2:38 pmI’m getting very hungry just looking at your hamburger. Somewhere in my storage, I have a old meat grinder.
Eha Carr
May 17, 2025 at 2:50 pmOnce more – what a great post for learning! I also have not put olives in a meat patty mix – and know very little about Californian wines. Interesting to see the meats you mix. Don’t think I have had a hamburger for a decade but oft enjoy grilled or fried patties sans bun with an interesting salad or vegetable dish . . . Trust you are enjoying a happy Long Weekend!