Sous Vide Lamb Burgers with Mint and Sweet Chili Sauce

This recipe was inspired by something I call lambsticks- though they are store-bought, they are delicious on the grill. That sweet, sticky, lamb-y goodness is what I aim for with these burgers. You can put them on a bun, but I feel like the roll hides the more delicate flavors of the mint, the lamb and the chili sauce. Serve with a cucumber and yogurt garnish (mix chopped cucumber with plain Greek yogurt, garlic, tomato, lemon juice and a touch of cumin, salt and pepper).

Author

Barbara Freda

I grew up in a cooking family and after getting a degree in Spanish and Anthropology, realized what I really wanted to do was to go to culinary school. After working in a NYC bank for a few years, I managed to get to culinary school and got my first jobs in NYC kitchens, including a long stint at Union Square Cafe in its earliest years. After (sadly) leaving NYC, I realized I needed to step away from the 80-hour work weeks, so I left the heat of the kitchen for the cool of the computer keyboard: I started writing about food, the business of food, and technology in the food industry, as well as teaching cooking classes. Recipe development remains one of my top loves, and the opportunity to develop recipes for Anova has been fun every step of the way.

Prep Time: 00:30

Recipe Time: 00:30

Temperature : 140F / 60C

Ingredients

• 1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 3 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 English cucumber, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Chopped lettuce, for serving

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 140ºF (60ºC).
2. In a large bowl, pour milk over bread pieces. Let soak for 5 minutes.
3. Using a fork, mash the bread and milk mixture into a paste. Add the lamb, beef, 1/3 cup chili sauce, mint, onion, and 1/2 of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
4. Divide the lamb mixture into 6 portions and form into patties. Place each patty in its own quart-size zipper lock bag. Seal the bags using the water immersion technique. Place in the water bath and set the timer for 30 minutes, or up to 40 minutes.
5. While the burgers are cooking, prepare the cucumber salad: Combine the cucumber, yogurt, tomato, lemon juice, cumin, and remaining garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bags from the water bath. Remove the burgers from the bags and pat very dry with paper towels.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the burgers and sear until well browned, about 1 minute per side.
3. Transfer burgers to a bed of lettuce and top with remaining chili sauce and mint leaves. Serve the cucumber salad on the side.