Zuni Café’s Hamburger Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

John Dinsmore

In my experience, a good food processor grinds meat quite well. Cube meat into 3/4 - 1 in cubes and freeze until stiff but not frozen. About 30 min. Process in small batches - large handful? - dump out and pick out any undesirable bits. Focaccia is a very hydrated and somewhat sticky dough, but you can knead it with lightly greased hands. It was made that way long before appliances. Happy cooking!~

Carol

so for those of us without dough hooks to make the focaccia, and electric meat grinders, can you suggest some alternative prep advice? Not everyone has a fancy kitchen with expensive appliances. So many recipes look tempting but also daunting with the necessary gear

Buck380

1987, sitting at the bar with a sublime margarita, watching Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve sweep through the room and mince up Zuni's dramatic staircase in matching jeans, to rapturous applause. Good times.

Jeanne

Zuni is my favorite restaurant of all time.

Rose

Italian bakery for the focaccia. And a good butcher for the ground meat! Easy peasy

Andre

I am a big fan of Zuni and have been eating there for over 30 years, and while it's my favorite restaurant, I have certainly had bad meals there. If you've only tried it once, go again a few more times and taste as much as you can. I think you'll come around to appreciating it. In addition to the food, it's the space and the clientele that make it so special. Zuni could only exist in San Francisco.

Anne

To Carol.When I started cooking,many, many years ago, I only had a wonderful hand cranked meat grinder, which I still own and use, it doesn't take up much space and is easier to chill when grinding meats. To replace the dough hook, try kneading by hand. It uses up the calories that you'll gain when eating focaccia! Bon appetit

Regina

I worked their years ago. The burger is AMAZING. Along with their Caesar and roast chicken. The restaurant itself is so special. I have made their caesar many times at home. The burger is next....I used to serve them to fancy ladies outside who bought them for their dogs. LOL.

DaBix

Marinate the patties in beer (any old brand; don't splurge here; not worth it) in the fridge for an hour or two. Have been doing this, to rave reviews, for years.

Chris

If you don't have a meat grinder, but do have a KitchenAid mixer, look for the meat grinder attachment KitchenAid makes that bolts onto the front of the mixer. Doesn't cost much and works like a champ.

Nahum

Manual meat grinder; not very expensive and easy enough to use if you're not cooking for a rugby team.

Donald Keys

Zuni is one of the most overrated restaurants where I have eaten.

Mark L.

Like many former San Franciscans, I have many lovely memories of Zuni Cafe. Perfectly shucked oysters, handmade Caesar salad, legendary roast chicken, great cocktails and wines, and on and on, all looking out those great big windows, among a cross-section of the city's creative people. The late Judy Rodgers was so dedicated to her craft, and was committed to simple things done extremely well. If you like this recipe, you should buy her cookbook, it's a classic.

CBB

I'm in hamburger heaven! The mix of zucchini & red onion pickles with the aioli was marvelous; wonderful condiments. Added a bit of lemon juice and freshly ground pepper to aioli. Had the hamburger on sour dough bread with red leaf lettuce. Next time, will try sour dough focaccia as I'm limited to gluten free or sour dough. The hamburger with condiments looks as colorful and delicious as it tastes. Real keeper. Can't wait to to make Zuni's chocolate Gateau Victoire & roast chicken.

CBB

Definitely the gift that keeps on giving! Used the leftover aioli in p/o mayo in tuna salad on sour dough bread topped with red oak lettuce, and leftover Zuni house pickles - sheer bliss! My husband's been using the pickles on cheese sandwiches. Made the Zuni café roast chicken Fab! Will try their famous Gateau Victoire on a special occasion. Another David Tanis winner!

Kathie

Please? Please a video so I can make it??? Thank you! XO

Janet

Once I got the hang of mincing meat in a food processor, I stopped buying ground meat. The result is so much better, whatever you plan to cook with it. If the meat has been frozen, however, you will want to let the cubes dry on a rack in the refrigerator before proceeding. Otherwise, it will steam rather than sear in the pan. (Thank you, Kenji!) My ragu finally tastes like my mother's! She ground chuck in a manual grinder that she clamped to the kitchen table.

Dennis

The pickles make an average burger great, and last a long time. Start by just making the pickles, to have on hand. Pickles pickles pickles. So good.

Mark L.

Like many former San Franciscans, I have many lovely memories of Zuni Cafe. Perfectly shucked oysters, handmade Caesar salad, legendary roast chicken, great cocktails and wines, and on and on, all looking out those great big windows, among a cross-section of the city's creative people. The late Judy Rodgers was so dedicated to her craft, and was committed to simple things done extremely well. If you like this recipe, you should buy her cookbook, it's a classic.

orbisdeo

A sizable segment of San Francisco’s population- residents or transients, take your pick, one can be as hard to abide as the other both all too often equally phony- is given to bashing longstanding and deserved reputations or traditions, in spite of their consistency, or trumpeting unfounded or even untried new ones. They can’t even say what they’ve tasted and care even less about consistency.

Mo

So basically you're upset because this isn't a traditional hamburger?

Andrew

Other meals I've had at Zuni recently have been average but the burgers are consistently the best anywhere.

Chris

If you don't have a meat grinder, but do have a KitchenAid mixer, look for the meat grinder attachment KitchenAid makes that bolts onto the front of the mixer. Doesn't cost much and works like a champ.

lnelmidwife

"Assemble your meat grinder..."

Regina

I worked their years ago. The burger is AMAZING. Along with their Caesar and roast chicken. The restaurant itself is so special. I have made their caesar many times at home. The burger is next....I used to serve them to fancy ladies outside who bought them for their dogs. LOL.

Dennis

The secret to the Zuni burger is the pickled onions and zucchini. Ignore the steps for the meat if you want, focus on those. They make a good burger great.

DaBix

Marinate the patties in beer (any old brand; don't splurge here; not worth it) in the fridge for an hour or two. Have been doing this, to rave reviews, for years.

CBB

I'm in hamburger heaven! The mix of zucchini & red onion pickles with the aioli was marvelous; wonderful condiments. Added a bit of lemon juice and freshly ground pepper to aioli. Had the hamburger on sour dough bread with red leaf lettuce. Next time, will try sour dough focaccia as I'm limited to gluten free or sour dough. The hamburger with condiments looks as colorful and delicious as it tastes. Real keeper. Can't wait to to make Zuni's chocolate Gateau Victoire & roast chicken.

CBB

Definitely the gift that keeps on giving! Used the leftover aioli in p/o mayo in tuna salad on sour dough bread topped with red oak lettuce, and leftover Zuni house pickles - sheer bliss! My husband's been using the pickles on cheese sandwiches. Made the Zuni café roast chicken Fab! Will try their famous Gateau Victoire on a special occasion. Another David Tanis winner!

Kay Kay

What is p/o mayo in the next reply?

Paul Adare

Kay Kay - in p/o = in place of.

Occupy Government

i must be missing something. it looks like bread dough with herbs and plain ground beef. the condiments must be terrific for this simple stuff to get such reviews.

Donald Keys

Zuni is one of the most overrated restaurants where I have eaten.

Leah

i agree. I have made the Zuni roasted chicken. It is especially delicious at serving, not so much the next day for leftovers.

Andre

I am a big fan of Zuni and have been eating there for over 30 years, and while it's my favorite restaurant, I have certainly had bad meals there. If you've only tried it once, go again a few more times and taste as much as you can. I think you'll come around to appreciating it. In addition to the food, it's the space and the clientele that make it so special. Zuni could only exist in San Francisco.

Buck380

1987, sitting at the bar with a sublime margarita, watching Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve sweep through the room and mince up Zuni's dramatic staircase in matching jeans, to rapturous applause. Good times.

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Zuni Café’s Hamburger Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the native country of burger? ›

The hamburger is considered a national dish of the United States. In the United States and Canada, burgers may be classified as two main types: fast food hamburgers and individually prepared burgers made in homes and restaurants.

How to make charbroiled burgers? ›

Grilling Hamburgers

On a gas grill set the temp to 375-400, medium/high heat. Grill over direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side, covered. The direct heat will put a beautiful char on the outside of the meat, which is nothing but FLAVOR!

Is Worcestershire sauce good in hamburgers? ›

Worcestershire sauce is a great ingredient to add to hamburger patties. Worcestershire sauce burgers are not only delicious but are great when you want a simple recipe that comes together quickly.

What is the tastiest hamburger meat? ›

The best cuts of beef for burgers:
  • Chuck steak. Chuck is the most commonly used cut of beef in burger blends. ...
  • Sirloin or Tri-Tip. Sirloin is a relatively lean cut of steak, but has a good amount of flavor. ...
  • Round. Round is extremely lean and very cheap. ...
  • Brisket. ...
  • Boneless Short Rib. ...
  • Plate (Skirt and Hanger Steak).

Should I add egg to burger patty? ›

What burger binding agent should I use? The most common burger binding agent is egg. This makes your ground beef stick together and is the most readily available ingredient.

How does Guy Fieri cook his burgers? ›

Heat a flat-top grill or cast iron pan over very high heat. Form the ground beef into a tight ball and season with salt. Place hamburger ball on grill to sear for 45 seconds, then flatten with a heavy spatula to about ⅓ inch thickness. Cook for 90 seconds to develop a crust on the first side of the bottom.

What is the best meat mix for burgers? ›

Selecting the best meat for burgers

A good basic mixture would be to use 50% chuck (the cheap and lean), 25% rib plate (the fatty parts) and 25% brisket (the fatty and beef flavor). Alternative cuts that make a damn good burger without emptying your wallet are round (lean) and navel (the fatty beef belly).

Which country eats the most hamburgers? ›

At this point, the U.S. continues to be the world's leading consumer of hamburgers, with more than 26% of the world's hamburgers consumed in the country each year. Other major hamburgerconsuming countries include the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, and Australia.

What country invented hamburgers? ›

The Germans added spices and the dish (served both cooked and raw) became popular. In Hamburg, it became known as “Hamburg steak.” When it arrived in the U.S. during the wave of immigration of the 1800s, it became known as a “hamburger steak.”

What state made the first burger? ›

The Library of Congress credits Danish immigrant Louis Lassen of Louis' Lunch, a small lunch wagon in New Haven, Connecticut, with selling the first hamburger and steak sandwich in the U.S. in 1895.

What gives Burger King burgers their flavor? ›

Burger King's famous Whopper patties may start off frozen, but a short trip through their proprietary broiler and open flames gives it that familiar, smokey taste.

How to get chargrilled taste at home? ›

Use Smoky Spices/Seasonings

There's a world of spices and seasonings that can add or bring out the smokiness of foods. Some of the most common include smoke paprika and chipotle seasoning, which you can find in powder, whole, or canned. Bacon salt and smoked salts can also flavor things up.

How do you make the perfect hamburger? ›

How to assemble a burger
  1. Lightly toasted burger buns.
  2. A thin spread of burger sauce on the bottom (or each) bun.
  3. Burger patty with melted cheese.
  4. Gherkins (optional)
  5. Finish with veggies - onion, lettuce and tomato in that order.

What cut of meat makes the best hamburger? ›

Selecting the best meat for burgers

A good basic mixture would be to use 50% chuck (the cheap and lean), 25% rib plate (the fatty parts) and 25% brisket (the fatty and beef flavor). Alternative cuts that make a damn good burger without emptying your wallet are round (lean) and navel (the fatty beef belly).

What is the most important ingredient in a burger? ›

Essential ingredients for a good hamburger
  • Quantity of meat (and quality of that meat)
  • That onion that sweetens but doesn't chop.
  • A fresh, crisp lettuce as if freshly picked from the garden.
  • The best sauce you can make for each version of the burger.
  • A quality, lightly toasted roll that won't break or soften from the heat.

What makes hamburger meat taste good? ›

The magic lies in the seasoning – a simple yet potent mix of garlic, onion, cumin, and cayenne, creating some of the most tasty ground beef.

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