Sweet Island Cubano Burger

Ingredients

– 1 large green bell pepper; cored, seeded, and chopped
– 1 large yellow onion; chopped
– 3 garlic cloves; minced
– 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 tablespoon to cook green pepper and onion in and 1 tablespoon to brush on burger buns
– 1 1/2. ground top sirloin
– ½ cup raisins
– 1 teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
– ½ cup tomato sauce
– One 7 oz. Jar diced pimentos
– ½ cup yellow mustard
– 1/3 cup honey
– 2 tablespoons prepared store bought Mojo Sauce
– 6 Cubanito rolls or 1 loaf of Cuban bread cut into 6 long, equal pieces (long sandwich rolls, such as hoagie rolls, can be substituted if specified bread is hard to find)
– 6 “Bread and Butter Sandwich Stuffers” pickles
– 6 slices Swiss cheese

 

Instructions

1. Heat grill to Medium-High heat.
2. Place a medium sized frying pan or skillet on the grill and allow it to heat up thoroughly (about 5 minutes).
3. While you wait for the pan to heat up, wash the green pepper and then chop it along with the onion. Next, peel and mince the garlic cloves.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and the garlic cloves to the heated pan. Allow the minced garlic to cook in the oil for 2 minutes and then add the chopped pepper and onions. Cook the vegetables on Medium-High heat until the onion becomes translucent (about 5-10 minutes). Once onion is translucent, remove the pan from the grill and set aside to cool.
5. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground top sirloin, raisins, salt, ground black pepper, ¼ cup of the tomato sauce, and pimentos. Mix thoroughly.
6. Now add the onion and green bell pepper to the bowl containing the ground top sirloin and mix well.
7. To form the hamburger patties, divide the meat mixture into six equal portions and mold into long patties to fit the buns. The hamburger patties should be about 2-3 inches wide and between 4-5 inches long.
8. Place patties on the grill and cook on high heat for about 5-7 minutes before flipping. Once the burgers are flipped, brush the patties with remaining ¼ cup of tomato sauce and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
9. Place each half of the Cubanito rolls (the “buns”) onto the grill, and grill the inside of each half for 1-2 minutes and then set them aside.
10. While burgers are cooking, create the Mojo-Mustard sauce. To create, combine ½ cup yellow mustard, 1/3 cup honey, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared store bought Mojo Sauce in a medium size bowl and stir until thoroughly combined (about 1-2 minutes).
11. When patties are done remove them from heat. Place a medium sized pan (you can use the pan you used earlier to cook the vegetables in) on the grill at high heat. Allow the pan heat up while you build the burgers.

To Build the Sweet Island Cubano Burger:
– Spread the Mojo-Mustard sauce evenly onto each half of the heated buns. Then place a patty on top of that. On top of the patty, place one slice of Swiss cheese, and one pickle strip, followed by the top of the bun.
– Pour 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive into a small bowl and then begin to brush the tops of each bun with the Olive Oil using a basting brush. Make sure to brush them all evenly.
– Place three completed burgers on the grill and then place the heated pan on top of them. Hold the pan’s handle and press down slightly. Cook the hamburgers until the cheese begins to melt and buns become crispy (about 3 minutes). When complete, remove the burgers, and repeat with remaining three hamburgers.
– Cut each burger in half diagonally. Arrange Sweet Island Cubano Burgers on a plate or platter and serve with a smile! Bueno Apetito!