Dirty Martini Dipped Cheeseburgers
These dirty martini dipped cheeseburgers are the ultimate indulgent burger recipe, combining juicy Cajun-spiced smashed beef patties, melted cheese, a creamy blue cheese and gin sauce, and a tangy dirty martini olive relish. Served in toasted brioche buns with crispy onions and fresh lettuce, these burgers are inspired by the classic dirty martini cocktail, bringing together briny olives, gherkins, lemon zest and a splash of gin for a seriously flavour-packed dinner.
Equipment
- Large pan - I used a cast iron
Ingredients
- 250-300 g beef mince
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or granules
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- A little salt and pepper
- 4 cheese slices
Sauce
- 50 g blue cheese
- 1 shot gin
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Crack black pepper
Topping
- 2 tablespoon olives chopped
- 1 tablespoon gherkin slices chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon olive brine
- Crack of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon crispy onions or crispy fried shallots
- Baby gem lettuce heat chopped
- 2 brioche buns lightly toasted
- Pinch grated Parmesan optional
Sides
- Oven or air fryer Fries or salad optional
Instructions
- If you're serving your dirty martini dipped cheeseburgers with fries, start cooking them in the oven or air fryer according to the packet instructions.Oven or air fryer Fries or salad
- Add the beef mince to a mixing bowl with the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Mix until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the mince, being careful not to overwork the meat. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape each one into a loose ball. Place the beef balls on a plate and top each with a small square of baking paper. This makes it easier to smash the patties in the pan later.250-300 g beef mince, 1 tsp cajun seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder or granules, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp oregano, A little salt and pepper
- Finely chop the green olives and gherkins, then add them to a small bowl with the lemon zest, olive brine, freshly cracked black pepper and crispy onions or fried shallots. Wait to mix until right before assembling so the crispy onions don't become soggy then set aside.Crack black pepper, 2 tbsp olives, 1 tbsp gherkin slices, 1 tsp lemon zest, ½ tsp olive brine, 1 tbsp crispy onions or crispy fried shallots
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat with a little oil. Once hot, add the beef portions, leaving enough room between them to smash each patty properly. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook them in batches. Place the baking paper over each beef ball and press down firmly with a sturdy spatula until the patties are thin and flat. Remove the baking paper and cook for around two minutes, or until the undersides are deeply browned and caramelised.
- Flip the patties and immediately place a cheese slice on top of each one then cover with a lid to trap the steam and help the cheese melt. Cook for another minute or two, until the beef is cooked through and the cheese is beautifully melted. Remove the patties from the pan and set aside or add to the oven on low heat while you make the sauce4 cheese slices
- Scrape off any remaining cheese and reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the gin to the same pan, allowing it to bubble for around 30 seconds while you scrape up the caramelised bits left behind by the beef. This process is called deglazing, and it adds extra flavour to the sauce. Add the double cream and allow it to warm gently before stirring in the blue cheese, Dijon mustard and freshly cracked black pepper. Continue stirring until the blue cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.50 g blue cheese, 1 shot gin, 150 ml double cream, 1 tsp dijon mustard, Crack of black pepper
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add 100ml water and stir until it reaches your preferred consistency and enough sauce to spread a layer on each plate. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, remembering that the blue cheese and olive brine are already quite salty.
- Lightly toast the brioche buns until golden on the cut sides. Add a little bit of the sauce, the chopped baby gem lettuce to the toasted brioche buns, then top with the cheesy beef patties and a generous spoonful of the dirty martini relish. Finish with any remaining crispy onions for extra crunch.2 brioche buns
- Spoon some of the creamy blue cheese and gin sauce onto one or two shallow serving plates or dishes, spreading it out to create a generous pool for dipping the cut the burgers in half, placing in the sauce with some optional parmesan and fries.Baby gem lettuce heat, Pinch grated Parmesan
Notes
Use a hot pan. A properly heated pan helps the beef develop those delicious caramelised edges that make smashed burgers so good.