Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

Bacon and Egg Brunch Burgers

Aired on: February 29, 2012

Ingredients

For the Beef Patties:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
Kosher salt and pepper
About 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
12 slices good quality bacon, 4 finely chopped
4 thick deli slices yellow cheddar or American cheese
For the Hash Brown Potato Patties:
2 large starchy potatoes, peeled and grated
Kosher salt
1 small onion, grated
Pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 to 3 tablespoons flour
2 to 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
4 sandwich-size English muffins or brioche hamburger rolls, split, toasted and lightly buttered
Ketchup

Yields: 4

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine meat with salt, pepper, Worcestershire and finely chopped bacon. Form into 4 patties that are thinner at the center than the edges for even cooking.

Arrange remaining 8 slices of bacon on a slotted broiler pan and bake to crisp, 15 minutes or so.

Grate potatoes on the large side of box grater and season with salt. Drain in a strainer for 10-15 minutes. Press out the excess liquid and combine potatoes with grated onion, pepper, egg and just enough flour to bind the potatoes, 2-3 tablespoons. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add potatoes in 4 thin pancakes, 4 inches round. Sauté hash brown cakes until deeply golden on each side, about 7-8 minutes, turning once. Remove to cooling rack set into rimmed baking sheet.

Heat griddle or cast-iron skillet to medium-high.

Remove bacon from oven and toast rolls while potatoes cook. Turn oven off; add potato cakes to a baking sheet to keep warm in oven. Reserve buttered rolls and bacon.

Cook burgers on hot griddle or in the skillet about 10 minutes, turning once. Top with cheese to melt in last 1-2 minutes of cook time.

While cheese melts, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in the skillet you made the hash brown cakes in. Fry 4 eggs (over medium to hard), season with salt and pepper.