These aren’t your typical drive-thru burgers

Nowadays you can get a hamburger 24 hours a day. Drive-thrus are everywhere, and there are many types from which to choose. But when I was a little girl, having a hamburger was a special treat.

My all-time favorite version is courtesy of my maternal grandmother, who made the best burger. She would grate a peeled raw potato into the ground beef. Not only does it add extra flavor and texture, but it also helped to stretch the meat.

Make sure you use the smallest holes of your box grater to grate the potato. The potato should be almost pulpy. Use a cast iron skillet, which will give a great crust to the exterior of the burger.

OLD FASHIONED BURGERS

1 pound of ground chuck

1 medium russet potato, peeled and finely grated

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Break up the meat with a fork in a large bowl. Add the potato, garlic, black pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly with the fork.

Shape into four patties. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the burgers to the pan. Let burgers cook until there is a nice browned sear to the patties. Flip the burgers and cook to your desired level of doneness. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings.

SALMON BURGERS

Burgers can certainly be prepared with a variety of proteins. If you’ve never tried a salmon burger, give these a try. An added bonus is a healthy dose of Omega 3s. I serve these with my homemade tartar sauce.

1 16 oz. can boneless/skinless salmon, drained and flaked

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, grated

A few grinds black pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon minced red onion

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, lightly mix all ingredients (except vegetable oil) with a fork.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shape into four patties and place into skillet. Cook, occasionally turning, until burgers are cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Toast the buns and serve with your favorite lettuce and tartar sauce.

EASY SMEASY TARTAR SAUCE

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

a few grinds black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 tablespoon dill pickle relish

Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

SRIRACHA GINGER PORK BURGER WITH SWEET AND SOUR BRAISED VIDALIA ONIONS

If you like heat, you will love this one! Ground pork easily takes to intense flavors. Sriracha hot sauce and ground ginger add the perfect amount of tangy heat. For the topping, I made my version of sweet and sour braised Vidalia onions.

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl combine ground pork, sauce, ginger and salt. Divide into 4 to 6 patties.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Place burgers in the skillet and lower heat to medium. Cook, turning as burgers brown, until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.

While the burgers are cooking, braise the onions:

1 Vidalia (or other sweet onions) halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Toss in the onions and cook, frequently stirring, until onions soften and brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Let cook until sauce is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Laura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, shares recipes, ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com. Find her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: These aren’t your typical drive-thru burgers