The Iconic Cutlet Burger

Nothing says summer grilling better than Burgers. How can you not love sinking your teeth into a flame broiled beef patty enveloped in two slices of bun with all the fixings. However I find the American approach to burgers to be a bit too bland for my spice loving palette. Growing up in India, our version of the Burger was the Cutlet. Cutlets came to India via the Europeans, and like so many dishes, we proceeded to make it our own. This is probably the chief cause for all the confusion when you research Cutlets on the web. The rest of the world understands a Cutlet to be a very finely pounded slice of meat, either beef, veal, pork or chicken that’s dredged in egg and breadcrumbs and pan fried. We Indians understand the cutlet to be a seasoned ground beef patty that’s dredged in egg and breadcrumbs and pan fried. Something seems to have gotten lost in translation, but the end result is something quite marvelous.

The Hamburger purists don’t have very nice things to say about my approach to burgers. They moan and howl that it’s more meatloaf than burger and I honestly don’t give a rat's behind what they think. I advocate cooking whatever makes you happy and pay no heed to the self appointed gourmet police and wannabe restaurant critics. I much prefer the beef cutlet approach to burgers. This approach calls for embellishing the ground beef with ginger, garlic and green chili paste. The recipe calls for onions, and sometimes I’ll use finely chopped onions and sometimes I’ll go with grated. It’s important to remember to squeeze out as much water as possible before adding to the mixture. On occasion, I’ll throw in fried onions, the kind you use in Green Bean Casserole. It brings unique complexity to the overall flavor, and saves me the added effort of chopping or grating. It’s best to keep the spices to a minimum; just a little bit of black pepper and garam masala for flavor and the added kick. Eggs and Panko breadcrumbs are my binder ingredients of choice, and because I like my burger to have a herb citrus finish, I use finely chopped mint, cilantro and finish with a generous squeeze of lime. A splash of worcestershire sauce is the secret ingredient that takes the cutlet to the next level, and I encourage its use if you have it handy. If the weather is nice outside, I’ll skip the usual egg breadcrumb and pan frying method, and finish the patties on a hot grill. The end result is a burger with deliciousness and succulence that transcends the regular version any day of the week.

There is really no exact science to making a cutlet, but keep these points in mind to reduce your chances of failure. Always ensure a healthy beef to fat ratio otherwise the cutlet may feel a little dry. 80:20 beef to fat works great in my opinion. Avoid adding moisture as this can cause the cutlet to break apart during the cooking process. While not essential, a handful of shredded Cheddar and Pepper Jack in the cutlet mixture takes it quite to the next level. And always allow the burgers to rest covered for at least 5 to 7 minutes after grilling for the best and juiciest results.

It’s hard for me to ever go back to the traditional burger method after having tasted the Cutlet Burger version. Maybe it’s the enhanced flavor from the spices and seasonings. Maybe it’s the incredible juiciness due to the breadcrumbs that absorb and hold on to the moisture. Maybe it’s because I am taken back to my happy childhood days, I’ll never know. But whatever may be the reason, I say the Cutlet Burger is the way to go if you plan to do any grilling this summer.