Green Chile Burgers

New Mexico's much-famed green chili burger, now made at home with homemade green chili sauce and plain burger meat.

Green Chile Burgers ♥ KitchenParade.com, an authentic New Mexico specialty.

So first? I made Green Chile Sauce, it was the beginning of my quest for green chile burgers just like the cult-favorites in New Mexico.

Next up? The burgers!

At first I fussed with ideas for gussied-up gourmet burgers, y’know, where you grind this with that, add this and poke there. My butcher laughed at these notions and packed up a big hunk of good ground beef. “You won’t be able to tell the difference,” he promised.

So simple good is simple does. Good ground beef. Salt and pepper. A toasted bun. Warm freshly made Green Chile Sauce. It.Gets.No.Better.

EATING TIPS FOR DIABETICS To avoid bread, diabetics and those who follow low-carb and low-glycemic diets often forgo sandwiches entirely. But for anyone with a serious burger hankering, here's a quick tip that reduces bread consumption. (I'm not diabetic but this technique is so simple, I'm doing it too.) Use whole-grain bread rolls, not bread slices and use a fork to scoop out the centers of the rolls without piercing the crusts. (Don't waste the centers – save them for bread crumbs for another dish.) Now fill the roll with the burger, sandwich filling, etc. Easy, yes?!

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GREEN CHILI BURGERS

Just good meat with an amazingly good green salsa

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 4

1/2 tablespoon butter
4 soft hamburger buns, split

1/2 tablespoon butter
1 pound good ground beef (I used a 90% mix)
Salt & pepper to taste
4 slices pepper jack cheese, optional
1 cup Green Chile Sauce, warmed

In a large heavy skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter on medium high until beginning to sizzle. Add the buns, cut-side down, and let toast until beginning to turn golden. Set aside.

Meanwhile, gently form the ground beef into four flat patties about a half inch thick. (Handle the ground meat as little as possible, so not to compress it. You want to be able to see the strands, not mush them all together.) Season one side with salt and pepper.

Add another 1/2 tablespoon butter to the skillet until beginning to bubble. Place the seasoned side of the patties onto the skillet, they should sizzle. Season the upper side. Without moving, let the patties cook until a thin crust forms on the underside, about 3 minutes. Turn over (this is where you’d add a slice of cheese, if so inclined) and cook for another minute or two, until meat has reached desired doneness.

Place patties on bottom buns, top with hot green chili sauce, top with top buns. Prepare to be transported all the way to New Mexico.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Burger, including bun and Green Chile Sauce: 316 Calories; 14g Tot Fat; 6g Sat Fat; 16g Carb; 2g Fiber; 383mg Sodium; 77mg Cholesterol; 18g Protein.

WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 7 & PointsPlus 7