Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers

Autumn is waking and I’m sharing my favorite seasonal burger recipe, Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers.

The orchards have opened for apple-picking and the weekends are beginning to bustle with excited out-of-towners enjoying their time on the farms.  Early harvest favorites, like local Zester and Honey Crisp apples, are making their way into my seasonal cooking – and with each bite I savor, I’m reminded that my heart belongs to autumn.

Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers, generously topped with sticky-sweet caramelized onions and warm apples robed in brandy.  The best part?  Once all of the ingredients are assembled and ready, cooking time is just about 20 mins.  Weeknight win!

As always, high-quality beef matters.  Not only will it taste better, it is better for you.  I used local prime beef from my local butcher, a little salt and pepper on each side of the patties is all that’s needed.

To serve, add a crisp autumn side salad – and be sure to toss in some extra sliced apples!

I’d love to hear from you!

Scroll down and leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!  If you give this dish a go, don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram, I’d love to see your creation!  Make sure to tag me @chasingtheseasons so that I don’t miss it!

Disclosure:  As a way of supporting Chasing the Seasons, I may receive monetary compensation for my endorsement, recommendation, and/or link to any product(s).  That support allows me to continue to share my recipes with you.  I only recommend products that I love and/or personally use or are similar to the products I use – all at no additional cost to you.   I sincerely appreciate all the love that has been given to this little blog of mine.  Thank you.

Caramelized Onion and Brandied Apple Burgers

Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers, generously topped with sticky-sweet caramelized onions and warm apples robed in brandy. 

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apples, Burger

Servings: 4 burgers

Author: Chasing the Seasons

Ingredients

• 1 lb quality ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, and shaped into 4 patties
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch (0.64-cm) slices
• 1/4 cup apple brandy recommended: Paul Masson brand
• 1 Honey Crisp apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick (0.64-cm) slices or other sweet variety
• 4 slices brie cheese, for melting (if desired)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional)
• Hamburger buns, for serving

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil and butter.  When the oil is hot and the butter is melted, add the onions.  Lightly season with salt and briefly stir to combine.
• Nestle the burgers into the skillet.  As the burgers cook, they will shrink a bit and gently moving the onions around will be easier.  To deeply caramelize the onions, they’ll need to cook for roughly 18-20 minutes, lowering the heat a bit if necessary to prevent burning. Noting that the burgers will be removed when they are cooked to your likeness. (*see chart below)
• Prepare to cook the burgers for about 8-10 minutes for a burger that is no longer pink inside.  If a rarer burger is preferred, cook to desired likeness and transfer to a plate tented with foil to keep warm, and finish caramelizing the onions.  Add the brie to the burgers during the last couple of minutes of cooking, covering the skillet if necessary to help facilitate the heat and melt the cheese.
• Remove the burgers if you have not already done so and transfer to a warm plate.  Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the brandy.  Stir to mix well and return to medium heat, bring to a boil, and scrape up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan – stir them in, there’s lot’s of flavor there!  Cook the brandy for about 1 minute then add the sliced apples.  Gently stir and toss to combine until warmed through, about 1 minute more.  The apples should retain just a subtle bite, don’t overcook or they risk turning mushy.
• (optional) To serve, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise to the inside of the top portion of the hamburger bun. 
• Add the burgers to the buns and top with the hot onion and apple mixture.

Notes

Use this as a guide, flipping burgers once at the half-way mark.  A meat thermometer is the most reliable way to check the internal temperature - insert the thermometer into the middle/thickest part of the burger.  

MEDIUM-RARE	130-135°F	6 minutes
MEDIUM	145°F	7-8 minutes
MEDIUM-WELL	150-155°F	9 minutes
WELL-DONE	160-165°F	10 minutes

Pro Tips:

These burgers can be cooked separately from the onion and apple topping, if desired – especially if a more rare burger is preferred, or if the weather permits grilling the burgers instead.  If you have a favorite way to cook your burgers, stick with that, and simply top them with the onion and brandied apples for a new twist.

Consider swapping out the brie for blue cheese!  You don’t have to melt the blue cheese, simply add it at the time of serving, then top with the hot onion and apples mixture.

Don’t have apple brandy on hand?  White wine works beautifully, too.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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