Greek Festival time is Summer time, and you know what that means…all things BBQ! We can’t wait for you to try this insanely delicious Greek Burger With Tzatziki Sauce!

From Lizz: My mother, Eleni, is a United States born Greek American. She was born in New York City and at the tender age of 17, while on a trip to Greece visiting family, met my very Greek Father, Manoli, fell in love and got married. While they stayed in Greece for a short while, they eventually made their way back to the United States and settled in San Francisco. Why San Francisco and not New York? Well, my father’s Thea (aunt), my Papou’s older sister, lived in San Francisco and for my father, this felt like home. His Thea Ekaterini, treated him like her own child and she taught my mother how to cook like a Greek!

This Greek Burger with Tzatziki Sauce feels like a combination of the U.S.A. and Greece. One half American with the ground beef and one half Greek with the ground lamb. The addition of traditional Greek herbs and Tzatziki Sauce makes it a lot more Greek and that is perfectly fine with us!

HOW TO MAKE THIS GREEK BURGER WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Prepare and measure ingredients to be combined with ground beef and ground lamb.
In a large bowl, add the ground beef and ground lamb. Pour evenly over the beef and lamb the chopped onion, minced garlic, olive oil and dry rosemary, dry Greek oregano, sea salt, ground black pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined well.
Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Use your hands to press each portion into the shape of a hamburger patty that is about 3/4 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture, making 4 hamburgers.
Brush buns with extra virgin olive oil and place on grill for 2-3 minutes to brown.
Place the hamburgers on the grill. Cook 4-5 minutes on the first side. Flip the hamburgers over and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. The burgers will be medium-well when they reach 160° F.
Prepare condiments
Assemble burgers in this order: Bottom of bun, tzatziki, patty, tomato, arugula, onion, tzatziki, top of bun.

HOW DO I KEEP MY BURGER FROM DRYING OUT?

An easy trick to keep your burger from drying out as it cooks, it to put an ice cube in the center of the patty and push down on it a bit to have the meat surround it. Continue to grill as you normally would.

Another recommendation is to allow your hamburger to rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the grill; not long enough to get cold but long enough to allow the juices to be reabsorbed by the meat.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A BBQ TO GRILL MY HAMBURGERS ON?

If you prefer to cook your hamburger inside, a hot skillet is key! The best way to cook a hamburger indoors is on a cast iron skillet or on a griddle.