Mole Burger

This Mole Burger has a deep heat, rich with flavors from the hills of Oaxaca, Mexico. Bold chilies, nuts, chocolate, dried fruit, and a touch of citrus all combine into a unique burger patty. This mole hot sauce showcases its versatility as an ingredient in this guest-pleasing Mexican inspired hamburger recipe. To increase the Mexican Umami, add my Oaxacan Secret Sauce recipe to this Mole Burger, adding a touch of nostalgic undertones while making a unique hamburger.

This recipe incorporates beer via a new hot sauce, Nor Cal Mole, which uses Oatmeal Stout from Anderson Valley Brewing Company as a base for building flavor. Imagine an ingredient that easily adds distinctive, historical, and multifaceted flavors. The hot sauce uses the hottest chili in the world, the Carolina Reaper, which is cooled off with habanero, poblano, and ancho chilies. Orange, tangerine, lime, and calamansi juices round out the acid, along with malt vinegar, stout malt syrup, and mole-inspired spices. Ultimately, this Eat Beer Hot Sauce – Nor Cal Mole acts as a seasoning, increasing the heat and boosting Mexican Umami in each dish it’s used in.

Makes: Four 1/3 pound burgers

Adapted from BeerAdvocate Magazine: Cuisine à la Bière |Dec 2018 | Issue #133

Mole Burger

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

Nor Cal Mole Hot Sauce is blended with ground meat (beef | Lamb | Turkey | Chicken) to make a rich, complex, and spicy hamburger patty, that is served onto a bun, making a delicious Mexican Mole Burger feast!

• CourseBeef, Entrée | Main, Main Dish
• CuisineAmerican, Beer Cuisine, Mexican
• Cooking Beer StyleOatmeal Stout
• Pairing Beer StyleAmerican Amber | Red Ale, American Imperial Stout, American India Pale Ale | IPA, American Porter, American Stout, English Pale Ale, English Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Robust Porter, Roggenbier, Schwartzbier, Smoked Beer, Smoked Porter
• SeasonalFall Seasonal, Spring Seasonal, Summer Seasonal, Winter Seasonal, Year Around Seasonal
• ProductEat Beer Hot Sauce, Nor Cal Mole | Eat Beer Hot Sauce
• Food SectionBeef, Bison, Burger | Hamburger, Lamb
• Cooking MethodGrilling, Over Fire
• BreweryAnderson Valley Brewing Co., Beer Advocate
• KeywordCooking with Beer

Servings	Prep Time
4 guests	10 minute

Cook Time

8 minute

Servings Prep Time 4 guests 10 minute

Cook Time 8 minute

Mole Burger Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Nor Cal Mole Hot Sauce is blended with ground meat (beef | Lamb | Turkey | Chicken) to make a rich, complex, and spicy hamburger patty, that is served onto a bun, making a delicious Mexican Mole Burger feast! CourseBeef, Entrée | Main, Main Dish CuisineAmerican, Beer Cuisine, Mexican Cooking Beer StyleOatmeal Stout Pairing Beer StyleAmerican Amber | Red Ale, American Imperial Stout, American India Pale Ale | IPA, American Porter, American Stout, English Pale Ale, English Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Robust Porter, Roggenbier, Schwartzbier, Smoked Beer, Smoked Porter SeasonalFall Seasonal, Spring Seasonal, Summer Seasonal, Winter Seasonal, Year Around Seasonal ProductEat Beer Hot Sauce, Nor Cal Mole | Eat Beer Hot Sauce Food SectionBeef, Bison, Burger | Hamburger, Lamb Cooking MethodGrilling, Over Fire BreweryAnderson Valley Brewing Co., Beer Advocate KeywordCooking with Beer Servings Prep Time 4 guests 10 minute Cook Time 8 minute Servings Prep Time 4 guests 10 minute Cook Time 8 minute

Ingredients

Caramelized Red Onion Ring Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon oil, olive
• 1 each onion, red, large, peeled whole, evenly sliced into 4 disks

Mole Burger Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 pound lamb, ground or beef (80/20 blend), turkey or chicken thigh
• 1 tablespoon salt, kosher
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns, mixed freshly cracked
• 4 tablespoon Eat Beer Hot Sauce Nor-Cal Mole available HERE , depending on heat level and use

Burger Accouterments:

• 4 each buns, Hamburger such as Brioche, Kaiser or Potato Rolls
• 1 recipe Oaxacan Secret Sauce recipe HERE
• 1/2 cup greens, such as baby spinach, shredded iceberg lettuce or arugula
• 1 cup sautéed mushrooms, optional

Servings: guests

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Caramelized Red Onion Ring Directions:

• In a cast-iron skillet or a sauté pan, add the oil, tilting to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Lightly dust the surface of the oil with salt. With the pan on medium-low heat, add the red onion rings, pressing them down into the oil. Cook the onions for 10 minutes without turning to caramelize. Then flip them and cook another 5–8 minutes, until fully caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and keep warm.

Mole Burger Directions:

• Divide the lamb meat into four 1/3 pound portions. Flatten the meat on a cutting board, , adding 1 tablespoon of Nor Cal Mole Hot Sauce.

  
• Seasoning each burger patty with salt and pepper. Fold the meat onto itself and massage in the seasonings. Now form a single 4-1/2 inch diameter patty from the ball. Set aside and make the remaining patties. Lightly season both sides of each patty with salt.

  
• Increase the temperature of the skillet to medium-high and heat the pan for 4 minutes. Add the patties to the skillet, leaving enough room between them to cook evenly. Press the patties into the pan to get full contact, creating a caramelized crust. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes per side for a medium-rare burger 135°F - 140°F | 57°C - 60°C. If using ground turkey | chicken, cook the hamburger to an internal temperature of 165°F | 74°C.

  
• Top each patty with cheese (optional) after flipping the patty. Alternatively, these patties can be grilled on either a preheated wood or gas BBQ.
• While the patties are cooking, toast the buns, if desired, then spread Oaxacan Secret Sauce on the top and bottom of each half. On the bottom bun, add the greens (baby spinach | lettuce | arugula). On the top bun, add a caramelized red onion ring. Place the cooked patty onto the lettuce and top with the onion bun. Serve!
• As with any burger, topping variations abound. Sauté crimini mushrooms in olive oil and fresh garlic until brown, add cooked bacon and guacamole, or top with a slice of Oaxacan, Colby, cheddar, or pepper jack cheese.

  

Recipe Notes

Beer Pairing:

As this hamburger has lots of rich meaty flavors, a roasty stout, such as Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout would complement all the flavors and textures well.  For a contrast beer pairing, try a citrusy Bear Republic Brewing Co. Racer 5 IPA or other citrus-forward American Style IPA.