A note: This recipe was created to make your life easier. If you don’t have time to make kimchi aioli, kimchi mayo is a much simpler, quicker, and easier option.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
For the burgers:
6 tablespoons kimchi, juice squeezed out and finely diced (for inside the burger patty)
½ cup kimchi, chopped (for topping the burger)
2 tablespoons butter
12 slices American cheese
2 pounds (32 oz.) ground beef (at least 80/20 ratio)
1½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 hamburger buns, preferably brioche
For the kimchi aioli:
2 tablespoons chopped kimchi, juice squeezed out to make brine
1 tablespoons kimchi brine
1 clove garlic
2 egg yolks
½ medium lemon
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup olive or avocado oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
½ tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
1 scallion, white and light green sections only (can substitute ⅛ cup shallot or sweet onion)
Or;
For the kimchi mayo:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup drained kimchi, packed
1 tablespoon kimchi brine
2 teaspoons sugar
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 medium clove garlic
2 scallions, white and light green sections only (can substitute ¼ cup shallot or sweet onion)
Preparation
For the burgers:
Step 1: Fire up your grill to medium high. If using the Weber Smart Grill, you can adjust the temperature of your grill via the three main burner control knobs.
Step 2: Seal half a cup of chopped kimchi in a foil packet with 2 tablespoons of butter and place it on the grill. Remove after five minutes. (If indoors, stir-fry kimchi and butter in a skillet until kimchi begins to look translucent at edges.)
Step 3: Using a cheesecloth, squeeze as much juice out of your kimchi as you can, reserving it for your kimchi aioli or kimchi mayo. Finely dice your squeezed kimchi.
Step 4: Cut each slice of American cheese into four equal pieces. Then, create a stack of 8 squares of cheese for each burger. Mix each stack with a tablespoon of kimchi.
Step 5: Make 8 thin patties from the beef, with each patty about the size of a slice of American cheese.
Step 6: Place the mixture of cheese and kimchi between 2 burger patties and pinch together the outside of each burger to seal the mixture inside. If using the Weber Smart Grill, ensure your patty is at least 1-inch thick.
Step 7: Depending on grill heat and desired level of doneness, grill each burger for three to four minutes on the first side. If the burger puffs up, poke a small hole into the top layer so that steam from the cheese and kimchi can escape. Grill for three to four minutes on the second side. If using the Weber Smart Grill, insert the tip of the meat probe into the thickest section of the burger before placing on the grill. The Weber Connect app can provide you with step-by-step grilling assistance, temperature monitoring, and readiness countdown and alerts for the kimchi and cheese-filled patties. If you’re entertaining a large group, don’t sweat, the Smart Grill can fit up to 20 burgers at once.
Step 8: When one minute of grilling is left for your burger patties, toast your brioche buns on the grill.
Step 9: Sandwich each burger patty on a toasted brioche bun with kimchi aioli or kimchi mayo spread, topping with additional chopped buttery kimchi from the foil packet.
Step 10: Eat while hot, but bite carefully as cheese will be hot!
For the kimchi mayo:
Step 1: Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
For the kimchi aioli:
Make this aioli ahead of time, let stand for an hour, and refrigerate before grilling.
Step 1: Using a cheesecloth, squeeze the brine from 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped kimchi.
Step 2: Reserve 1 tablespoon of kimchi brine in a small bowl and set kimchi aside.
Step 3: In a food processor, combine garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Keeping the food processor on, slowly and gradually add olive or avocado oil and sesame oil.
Step 5: When the mixture has solidified, add rice vinegar, sugar, roughly chopped drained kimchi, and scallion and blend until smooth.