My problem: I plan too far ahead for meals. I make a meal to feed a large family, leave enough for a meal or two, and freeze the rest. Yet every day I have this desire to try a new recipe or use new ingredients, causing those leftovers to become lodged into the ice buildup in the corner. Don’t get me wrong, the frozen meals are just as delicious as they were on day 1, but I’m impatient and eager to move on to a new recipe.
Well tonight I did both. Twice now, I’ve discovered the pre-shaped 96% lean beef patties on sale at the store. I couldn’t resist and now I have 10 frozen red coasters in the freezer that need using. Well, throughout the day I thought about this blog and decided I needed a new peanut-butter-containing recipe. I got some insight from a Food Network show in which Guy visits a diner and tries the special peanut butter burger. The cook said it wasn’t for everyone (I beg to differ) and apparently it wasn’t for Guy. But clearly this needs to be tested by the Peanut Butter Boy.
On top of that, I wanted to try a smoked salt I got from my mother. Smoked salt is apparently hard to find and very expensive, but the stuff is incredibly fragrant and flavor-packed. I’ve been meaning to try a burger with this smoked salt instead of the usual, garlic salt. In addition, I had a lot of shredded cabbage on hand and decided to make use of it. Too impatient to try them all separately, I combined them into one crazy no-limits burger. As I like to say, the proof is in the peanut butter:
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1/4 lb 96% lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
2 slices soft whole grain bread
1 slice fat-free american cheese
1T peanut butter
handful shredded cabbage
smoked salt or regular salt, pepper (to taste)
ketchup
Instructions:
1. Spray a small pan with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot toss the burger in and sprinkle smoked or regular salt and pepper on top. Spray more cooking spray on top. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Flip the burger and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, depending on how you like it done. Shake some more salt and pepper on top. This is a good time to toast the bread, if desired. Place the cheese on top of the burger and let it melt.
3. When the toast and is done, spread the peanut butter onto one slice of bread and place the finished burger on top. Top with shredded cabbage. Spread ketchup on the other slice of bread and place on top. Cut in half for maximum manipulability.
4. Demonstrate to any nearby onlookers that you have put peanut butter on your hamburger and fully intend to eat it. Upon receiving a look of disgust, proceed to take a large bite and you’ll probably surprise yourself when you groan in delight.
Overall Impressions:
Bread – Nice and toasty.
Peanut Butter – Added a delightful creamy texture and salty flavor.
Burger – Lean and meaty.
Smoked salt – Very fragrant while cooking, but I hardly tasted it. Next time I’ll use more (I only used a pinch).
Cheese – The flavor was mostly overpowered by everything else, but the texture of melted cheese is always a welcome addition.
Cabbage – A great replacement for lettuce! Adds a great crunch and a hint of sweetness.
Ketchup – Didn’t overpower or clash with the peanut butter like I thought it would. Complemented the burger as a whole and added some moisture.
Overall – I will definitely make this again! Next time, I’ll use more peanut butter and try ground turkey breast (poultry tends to go better with peanut butter). The quantity of smoked salt needs to be increased to be noticed, but I will probably use regular salt next time.
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Nice sounding recipe, but I gotta tell ya the fat-free cheese is a baaaad idea! You mention a nice cheesy melt as being good for anything and I agree but my experience w/ SmartBeat fat-free american slices was terrible! I melted it on an ham and egg sandwich and it smelled like chemicals and tasted like it had gone bad. But it hadn’t!
2% slices aren’t too bad though
Yes, you do have to be careful with nonfat cheese, some of them are awful! I haven’t had the SmartBeat brand but I’ve had Borden (which is no good) and Lucerne (decent) but the best one is Kraft. It’s the most expensive but it melts and tastes the great. Give that brand a try if you haven’t already. ~ Nick