Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 2 tablespoons duck fat or butter
  • 2 large yellow onions, (sliced)
  • 6 slices horseradish cheddar
  • 1 cup salad greens, or lettuce leaves ((optional))
  • Juice and zest of a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup melted duck fat
  • 2 pounds ground duck burger ((see above for grinding instructions))
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons duck fat or vegetable oil
  • 6 burger buns

Instruction

  • Start by caramelizing the onions, which takes time. Sear the onions in the duck fat, tossing to coat, for a couple minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low and let them cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. You may need to cover the pan to prevent the onions from sticking and burning. This step can be done a day or two in advance.
  • While the onions are cooking, made the aioli if you want. Put everything in the blender except for the melted duck fat. Buzz to combine, then, with the motor running at medium, drizzle in the melted duck fat. Puree until combined. It should look like a loose mayonnaise. Put this in the fridge to chill. This step can also be done up to 2 days in advance.
  • Turn your oven to 250°F and set a cooling rack over a baking sheet inside. This is for your burgers.
  • When you are ready to cook your burgers, make patties about 1/3 pound each. Heat a large pan over high heat, and when it's hot, add the duck fat or oil. When that fat is hot, salt your patties. Put one in the pan, then use a bacon press to squish the patty to the width of about 3/4 inch. Keep the press on the meat for 30 seconds, the slide it off.
  • Keep cooking the duck burger for another minute to 90 seconds, then flip. My advice is to use a metal spatula to scrape the patty off the pan, because it can stick a little and you want all the yummy brown bits on the patty.
  • Once flipped, top with some caramelized onions, and a slice of cheese, if you want. If you use cheese, cover the pan so it melts. Give the burgers between 1 and 3 minutes more cook time, then move the patty to the cooling rack in the oven. Repeat with the remaining patties. Most pans can do 2 burgers at a time.
  • If you want, when your patties are all done, toast your burger buns in the remaining fat in the pan, adding more if needed, until pretty and browned, which should only take maybe a minute. Build your burgers, top with the greens and the aioli, and serve.