Grilled: Burger Dogs (Italian style)

Ingredients:

  • 0.7 fresh oregano
  • 0.7 fresh rosemary
  • 0.3 fresh thyme
  • 185 grams of 80/20 ground chuck or ground ribeye (2 burger dogs per serving)
  • 1 grams of black pepper
  • 2 grams of salt
  • 0.5 grams of garlic powder
  • 0.4 grams of onion powder
  • 1.8 grams of brown sugar
  • 0.3 grams of crushed red peppers
  • 33.3 grams of ricotta cheese
  • 2.2 grams of Worcestershire
  • Optional Burger Dog Toppings:
    • buns
    • sharp cheddar (block) and/or pepperjack
    • iceburg lettuce
    • Roma tomatoes
    • red onions
    • pickles
    • mayo, mustard, ketchup
    • jalapenos (slice as thin as possible)

Instructions:

  1. Begin by finely chopping the oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

  2. Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the freshly chopped herbs and all dry seasonings over the beef. Add the ricotta cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly until the ground beef is evenly seasoned and all ingredients are well incorporated.

  3. Shape the seasoned ground beef into bun-length, hot dog-like shapes to fit your hot dog buns perfectly.

  4. For best results, refrigerate the formed burger dogs for a few hours. This chilling period helps the proteins in the beef to bind, making the burger dogs hold together better during grilling.

  5. Preheat your grill to high heat. Place the burger dogs on the grill and cook them to medium-well, rotating slowly to ensure an even char all around.

  6. Serve the grilled burger dogs on hot dog buns. Given their Italian-style seasoning, consider choosing toppings that complement this flavor profile instead of standard burger condiments.