Texas Cheeseburgers with Poblano Peppers

Introduction

Fire up your Arteflame grill and treat yourself to juicy Texas Cheeseburgers topped with smoky roasted poblano peppers and melted cheese. This bold-flavored burger recipe is all cooked on the flat top and center grate of the Arteflame — no lid, no pans, just pure wood-fired grilling at its finest.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 4 pretzel buns or brioche buns
• 4 poblano peppers
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese or cheddar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional toppings: sliced red onion, avocado, chipotle mayo, lettuce

Instructions

Step 1: Fire up the Arteflame grill

1. Place 3 paper napkins in the Arteflame fire bowl and lightly soak with vegetable oil.
2. Stack dry firewood over the napkins.
3. Light the paper and allow the grill to come to temperature — about 20 minutes until the center grate reaches over 1,000°F.

Step 2: Prepare the poblano peppers

1. Place the whole poblano peppers on the flat griddle near the center for high heat.
2. Turn occasionally until skins are blistered and blackened all around (about 8-10 minutes).
3. Remove, peel skins, deseed, and slice into strips for topping.

Step 3: Form and season burger patties

1. Divide ground beef into 4 thick patties (about ½-pound each).
2. Press a slight dimple in the center of each patty to prevent puffing.
3. Season both sides generously with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

Step 4: Sear the burgers

1. Place patties directly over the center grill grate for a hard sear, about 2 minutes per side to lock in the juices.
2. Flip once and sear second side for about 2 more minutes.

Step 5: Finish cooking on the flat griddle

1. Move burgers to flat cooktop surrounding the center grate to finish cooking to desired doneness (target 130°F internal for medium rare — remove at 115°F).
2. Add a slice of cheese to each patty about 1-2 minutes before removing.

Step 6: Toast buns and butter

1. Spread butter on the insides of the buns and place face-down on the outer zone of the flat griddle.
2. Toast until golden brown and crispy.

Step 7: Assemble your Texas Cheeseburgers

1. Layer burgers on toasted buns.
2. Add roasted poblano strips and any desired toppings such as chipotle mayo or avocado slices.
3. Serve hot off the grill!

Tips

• Always remove your burgers from the grill about 15°F below your target finished temperature. Residual heat will bring them up the rest of the way.
• Use butter instead of oil to toast buns and cook for better flavor and searing depth.
• Utilize different heat zones on the Arteflame's cooktop to control level of browning or keep food warm while other parts cook.
• Grill in batches if you're making extras, but the Arteflame is large enough to handle a full platter at once.

Variations

1. Texas BBQ Cheeseburgers: Add a layer of BBQ sauce and crispy onion straws on top for extra crunch and sweetness.
2. Jalapeño Popper Cheeseburgers: Top each patty with cream cheese and grilled jalapeño slices for a spicy, creamy twist.
3. Lone Star Bacon Avocado Burgers: Add crispy bacon and fresh avocado with a drizzle of honey mustard sauce.
4. Mushroom Swiss Poblano Burgers: Use sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese with poblano slices for rich umami flavor.
5. Tex-Mex Chorizo Cheeseburgers: Mix ground chorizo into the beef patties for a spiced-up combo with queso fresco.

Conclusion

With the power of the Arteflame grill, every bite of these Texas Cheeseburgers with Poblano Peppers is juicy, bold, and perfectly grilled. From the steakhouse sear on the center grate to the buttery toasted buns on the flat top, nothing beats this all-wood-fired burger experience.

Best pairings

• Southwest roasted corn salsa
• Sweet potato fries grilled on the Arteflame
• Grilled peach halves with honey butter
• Texas-style iced tea or craft amber ale