Saucy Stroga

The Saucy Stroga ‘n’ Stuff Burger came from my family’s and my favorite foods and flavor combinations. Being from a Scandinavian descent, along with many Minnesotans, I prefer hearty meals and fresh harvests. Stroganoff is a natural favorite and a perfect traditional combination of beef and mushrooms.However, because of its richness, it needed to be balanced by sweet. We Norwegians always have a sweet tooth, and what is better than a favorite Minnesota fall harvest of apples. Adding a few more Minnesota kitchen staples, and my grandmother’s tradition of serving currant jelly with stroganoff led me to the perfect burger that is fit to please the Ole and Lena in everybody. Yah, Ye betcha, these are good Minnesotan burgers.

Ingredients:

Caramelized Celery

1 tbsp. olive oil
8 large celery stalks, finely chopped in a food processor
1 tsp. salt

Stroganoff Sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil
16 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. mushroom soup base
1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
1 c. beef broth
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. Sutter Home Pinot Noir
1 c. sour cream

Patties

1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1/2 c. Baby Bella mushrooms, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. mushroom soup base
2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. Sutter Home Pinot Noir

Vegetable oil for brushing the grill

6 tbsp. currant jelly

1 Dense, crusty Sourdough loaf, sliced into 12 similar sized, 1/2 inch slices

1 tbsp. olive oil

6 tbsp. currant jelly

1 Cortland Apple (or any other red, crisp apple variety), cored and sliced into 1/8th inch rounds

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make the caramelized celery, heat the olive oil in a medium cast iron skillet over the grill. Add the celery and salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from grill when the celery is soft and slightly brown. Set aside in a bowl.

To make the stroganoff sauce, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over the grill. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the skillet and cook for 10 minutes. Once the mushrooms have softened, add the mushroom soup base, pepper, beef broth, and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Next, for safety purposes, remove the skillet from the grill and set away from the grill, add the Pinot Noir, and carefully place the skillet back on the grill. Have a lid to fit the skillet nearby to suppress any flames if the alcohol should ignite. Bring the liquid to a boil and continue to boil for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid. Then stir in the sour cream and bring the sauce back up to a simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. The sauce will become thicker. Remove from the grill and transfer the sauce to a bowl to thicken further.

To prepare the patties, put the ground chuck into a large bowl. Add the Baby Bella mushrooms, Worcestershire Sauce, mushroom soup base, freshly ground pepper, and Pinot Noir. Mix with your hands, handling the meat as little as possible, until the ingredients are combined, and then form into 6 equal oval shaped patties about an inch thick. Spread 1/2 tbsp. currant jelly on the tops of all the patties.

Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Place the jelly side down on the grill, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes. In the last minute spread another 1/2 tbsp. currant jelly on the opposite side of the patties and then flip immediately. Grill until done to preference, about another 5 minutes for medium. Once the patties have been flipped, brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Place the bread on the grill and toast for 2 minutes. Flip and toast the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.

To assemble the burgers, spread a tbsp. of currant jelly on six of the bread slices. Then top with 1/4 c. caramelized celery. Next top with the beef patties, and then spread 1/2 c. of the sauce over each patty. Top each burger with the apple slices arranged in a layered spiral to fit the bread. Top with the remaining slices of bread and serve.