Backward Burger with Garlic Aioli

Reverse searing or reverse grilling is a cooking technique that is rapidly spreading from restaurant kitchens to backyard grills. The approach turns a lot of traditional notions about smoking and grilling on their head, with delicious results.

Basically the meat is slow cooked first over low heat, then finished over very high heat to form an amazing mouthwatering crust. This method is the exact opposite of what many of us learned “back in the day” about grilling meat. Traditionally I start my meat over a hot fire to form a crust or bark, then move to lower heat to finish cooking. Well, I have come to believe that reverse grilling actually yields superior results for me!

My twist is to apply reverse grilling to the humble burger here rather than tri-steak or a thick sirloin. The initial low temperature allows the introduction of wood smoke, in this case apple wood, which really changes the flavor profile of the burger. This burger is pretty simple topping wise to let the smoke flavored meat shine. It is simply a bottom bun topped with Garlic aioli, then the burger patty, provolone cheese, then some roasted poblano pepper strips and a top bun. Really tasty!

I learned this technique for Steven Raichlen in his excellent book and PBS series; Project Smoke. Thanks for the inspiration Steve!

Time: about 1 hour total

Feeds: 2

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Burger Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 pound 80% lean chuck

• 4 hamburger buns

• Garlic Aioli (recipe below)

• Roasted or 4 oz can green chiles

• 2 oz. provolone cheese

Garlic Aioli:

• ¾ Cup mayo

• 2 gloves garlic finely minced

• 2.5 tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¾ teaspoon coarse black pepper

Aioli: Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set in fridge for 20- 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Make this first and let chill while you cook!

Equipment and supplies:

• 2 cups apple wood chips

• Lump natural charcoal (Oak)

• Kettle style grill (Webber) and charcoal starter chimney

• Instant read meat thermometer

• Grill thermometer (optional but, recommended)

Procedure:

1. Form ground meat into two thick patties

2. Season by sprinkling both sides with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder to taste

3. Place wood chips in a bowl of water

4. Ignite charcoal in chimney about 1/3 full

5. When coals are almost all grey with ash pours against one side of the grill, place lid on grill and close vents slightly to achieve a grill temp from 200- 260 Degrees (it might take 15 – 20 minute for the initial temp to come down)

6. Drain chips and place on coals

7. Place burgers on far side of grill away from the fire

8. Let the burgers smoke until they are about 30-40 degrees below your desired finish temp when checked with a meat thermometer (I went to 110 degrees). This might take 15- 20 minutes depending your fire

9. Meanwhile ignite a full chimney of charcoal

10. When the burgers reach desired initial temp, pull off grill and loosely tent with foil on a cookie sheet

11. Open all vents, add in burning charcoal from chimney to center of grill, put lid on grill and allow to come to full temp for a couple of minutes,

12. Return burgers to grill and cook over hot fire for a minute or two per side until finished temp is reached (150 degrees in my case) and a nice crust forms.

13. During the last few seconds of cooking throw the buns on the grill to quickly toast and put cheese on burgers to begin melting

14. Build you burger: Bottom bun, garlic aioli, burger with cheese, pepper strips, top bun.

15. Enjoy your Backward Burger!

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Thanks for reading and enjoy!

#Grill #weber #recipe #burger #aioli #roastedgreenchilis #provolone #reverseseared