Hops flowers add a floral note to the cheddar sauce that is poured over these tender burgers.
Ground short rib takes these burgers to the next level! They’re juicy and delicious, and the hoppy cheddar sauce is the perfect accompaniment.
The sweet potatoes were a great side for these burgers. I used 2 sheet pans so they had plenty of room to cook without crowding the pan. I was definitely skeptical that just throwing some thyme on them at the end would be that good, but it really was tasty.
Plus, any time you have a pretzel bun that you then fry in the pan drippings… swoon.
I served these with some new pickles that I got from a vendor at my local Farmers Market, and it was the perfect accompaniment!
Just a note – the recipes from Blue Apron call for “1 bunch” of herbs, and that correlates to the size of the “bunch” they send if you’re using their service (which I’m absolutely in love with!). I’d say their bunches are about 1-2 tablespoons.
Short Rib Burgers on Pretzel Buns with Hoppy Cheddar Sauce & Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
Blue Apron
2 Servings
700 Calories per Serving
10 Ounces Ground Short Rib
2 Pretzel Buns
1 Pound Sweet Potatoes
1 Red Onion
1 Bunch Thyme
3 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
2 Ounces Cheddar Cheese
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Fresh Hops Flowers
1 Tablespoon Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
1 Prepare the ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Grate the cheese. Cut the buns in half horizontally. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Peel the onion and thinly slice into rings. Roughly chop the hops flowers. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin rounds.
2 Roast the sweet potatoes:
Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast, flipping halfway through, 28 to 30 minutes, or until browned and lightly crispy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the thyme.
3 Make the patties:
While the sweet potatoes roast, in a large bowl, combine the ground short rib and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper; mix to thoroughly combine. Form the mixture into 2 equal-sized patties. Set aside.
4 Make the cheddar sauce:
While the sweet potatoes continue to roast, in a small pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup of water and the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually add the cheese and cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the hops flowers; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.
5 Cook the patties:
While the sweet potatoes continue to roast, heat a large pan (nonstick, if you have one) on medium until hot. Add the patties and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium, or until they reach your desired degree of doneness. (You can check the doneness of your patties by cutting a small slit in one of them.) Transfer to a plate, leaving any drippings in the pan. Let the cooked patties rest for at least 5 minutes.
6 Toast the buns & plate your dish:
Heat the pan of reserved drippings on medium-high until hot. Place the buns in the pan, cut sides down, and toast 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and warmed through. Spread half the mustard onto the bottom of each bun; top with a cooked patty. Spoon half the cheddar sauce onto each patty. (If necessary, reheat the sauce on low.) Top each with as much of the onion as you’d like (you may have extra) and the top of the bun. Serve with the roasted sweet potatoes on the side. Enjoy!
Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars
