Burgers in a cast iron skillet are incredible...but imagine the delight
of a cracked egg INSIDE the burger. It's better than flowers and sunshine.
This post is sponsored by the Iowa Egg Council, but all opinions are my own.
Considering I've given you TWO, count them two, burger recipes this month, I think it's fair to say that right behind chocolate, pizza, coffee and any-and-all pasta dishes, burgers rank right up there at the top.
They hold a special place in my heart.
Especially in the summer. Especially when grilled in a hot cast iron skillet. Especially when eggs are involved.
Cracked in the middle, drippy, fried eggs.
Yes, you heard that right.
I went ahead and cut out a perfectly centered circle in each of these burgers, then cracked an egg into that darling little well during the cooking process and afterwards proceeded to eat all that drippy goodness with extremely sticky fingers. I washed up and then seriously contemplated having another one.
I've had a long, lovely relationship with the Iowa Egg Council, so when they approached me about creating a new egg recipe, which happens to just coorespond with National Burger Month {ahem, May} and National Egg Month {ahem, again May}, we both quickly settled on this fun burger.
Did you know that Iowa, of all places, is the #1 egg-producing state in the country, producing nearly 16 billion eggs per year? That means that nearly one out of every five eggs consumed in the United States comes from an Iowa farm.
Eggs are always, always, always in our fridge, whether from my friend's local farm or from the grocery store. We eat them every which way - scrambled, deviled, hard-boiled, fried...and recently inside burgers.
They are cheap {17 cents per serving}, good for you {zero carbs, no sugar and just 70 calories}, plus they have six grams of high-quality protein, so when you mix that with a burger you'll be full and happy for hours.
Add a little butter to cook them in, a slice of Swiss cheese and my personal favorite a dollup of blackberry jam {a little sweet to cut through the savory} and this is a burger made in heaven. But don't worry, if that's not your thing, top it traditionally with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, pickle and ketchup.
It's goes down just fine all the same. So good! And can we talk about what happens when you cook burgers or eggs in a cast iron skillet?
It's incredible. The burgers get a flavor infused crust on them and the eggs get a crispy edge and well it all just makes me want to dive in and take a bath in the skillet itself.
The yolk can be cooked to your liking - drippy and messy as I enjoy it or a bit more firm and not so drippy if that's your thing. Don't miss out on that yolk! They contain choline, a nutrient that promotes natural cell activity, liver function and the transporation of nutrients throughout your body.
I've yet to even mention the sliders that come with this burger. Remember how you cut out that center circle? Well, save those little babies to fry up in that same hot, buttery cast iron skillet for sliders later.
Or - if you're making this meal for the family and the kids are a bit freaked out about an egg-in-the-middle-burger {it's okay, they'll learn to love 'em}, cook up the sliders for them and everyone is happy!
Or - better yet, make these the center of attention at your upcoming Memorial Day barbecue. How impressive to throw that cast iron skillet right on the grill and showcase these burgers to your crowd? I can bet people will be super impressed.
And they'll be drooling.
I big, flowery, sun-kissed summer-y thank you to the Iowa Egg Council for sponsoring this post. My sponsors and supporters are what keep this fun food blog moving along. And thank you to my faithful readers who continue to support and make my meals!
MAKE THESE BURGERS.
FRY UP THAT EGG.
Combine the two and experience an epiphany.
burgers, cast iron
Egg-in-the-Hole Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
Would doesn't love a runny fried egg on top of the burger? But what about inside the burger? YES. This burger is genius.
prep time: 10 MINScook time: 10 MINStotal time: 20 mins
ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 eggs
- freshly cracked salt & pepper
- 1 T sugar
- 3 slices Swiss cheese
- 3 brioche buns
- 3 T unsalted butter
instructions
- In a bowl combine the ground beef, sugar and lots of freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Divide the meat into 3 sections and form into 3 large burger patties, about 4-5 inches in diameter. Place the burgers on a cutting board. Take a round glass, cup or cookie cutter and cut a circle out of the middle of the burger. Set that "mini burger" off to the side.
- Heat your cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add the butter to the skillet when hot. Place the burgers into the melted butter and cook for 3 minutes on the first side.
- Carefully flip the burger and immediately crack the eggs into the middle of the burgers. You might have some overflow if they are large eggs, but that is okay. Cover the skillet loosely with tin foil and cook the burgers for another 4-5 minutes.
- If the egg is still too runny, gently flip the burgers for another 30 seconds before removing from the skillet. Allow the burgers to rest for a few minutes.
- Lightly toast both sides of the brioche buns in the hot skillet.
- To serve remove the toasted buns, top with a slice of Swiss cheese and the finished burger. I additionaly topped my burger with a dollup of blackberry jam, for a sweet/savory effect. But mustard and ketchup works just fine too!
- Don't forget to quickly grill up those mini burgers for the kids!
Created using The Recipes Generator
