I should warn you: this is not a typical Badger Girl post. We don’t eat burgers very often. It’s so rare that when I told Manatee what we were having, he replied, “Gee…Don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t think I want to eat meat tonight.”

Yup. That’s how we roll over here. If we eat them, it’s generally for the sole purpose of using up veggies within the burger.

But there are exceptions to every rule and sometimes I crave a burger.

That’s what I was craving this week, the week before the marathon. I want a big juicy burger with a nice bold red wine.

And let me tell you, this burger did not disappoint.

So many times people get caught up with burger toppings. California burgers have guacamole, lettuce, tomato, and maybe some sprouts. Bleu burgers include a nice slab of bleu cheeses and maybe some caramelized onions. There is a restaurant in Madison that actually puts a sliced bratwurst on top of the burger. Shudder.

For this burger, it’s all about the patty. It’s not a matter of buying high end meat. I combined two family traditions to make this burger and threw in one personal twist. So if I wanted to put on my English major hat, I could say it is truly a symbol of our marriage.

In Manatee’s family, the burger du jour was a cream of leek burger. One packet of cream of leek and one beer mixed in with the meat. In my family, we did one packet of dried onion soup and Worcestershire sauce. So for the Badger Girl/Manatee version, I  used Manatee’s beer and our onion soup, then threw in some hot sauce.

Warning: This is not a clean recipe due to the onion soup mix. For any non-meat-eating readers, you may want to avert your eyes. The pictures below may be too upsetting and too graphic for your tastes.

Beer Burgers

1 packet of dry onion soup mix
1/2 to 1 beer (bottle or can)
2-3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 Tbsp of Hot Sauce
1 lb ground sirloin



  1. Better start by trying the beer.

  2. Hmmm…Are you sure it’s the right one? Have another sip.

  3. Alright, let’s get going. Put the sirloin in the bowl. Sprinkle on the packet of dry onion soup mix.

  4. Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.

  5. Are your hands clean? If so, go ahead and mix it together with your hands. If not, wash your hands thoroughly and then mix.
  6. Add the beer slowly. Add a little, mix it in and then add more. I did about a half a beer but I think you could do a full beer. The meat really soaks in the liquid.

  7. Form into four patties and chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour and up to six hours. The longer it sits, the more flavors will meld.

  8. Cook the burgers to your taste whether it be on the grill, on a Foreman, or in a frying pan. Serve with condiments of your choose (but you really won’t need any at all!).

  9. Enjoy!

 

Recipe Review:

This was by far, the BEST burger I have ever had. It was so juicy and packed with flavor that I am serious when I say you really don’t need condiments. Manatee couldn’t resist the smell. First, he told me that he would try it, then he raved about it, and then he finished it.

I was really surprised by how much the meat soaked in the beer. I only did a half beer this time and next time I will definitely do a whole beer. Choose a beer that you like because you really taste the flavors of the beer in the burger.

I hope you like it!

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