Michelin chefs like Michael Mina have a star ingredient to their burgers -
Piedmontese Beef. It's often called the "Next Wagyu" but it's quite different, tender but lean vs the heavy richness of Wagyu.
Here is our recipe for the Piedmontese Burger.
- 16 ounces Piedmontese ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Gently combine ground beef with salt, pepper, and olive oil before forming 2 burgers, then grill to desired doneness. Cook for less time and lower temperature than what you would with traditional beef, because of the lower fat content and more flavor. We keep the rest of this burger simple compared to others because this beef is just so tasty.
Toppings
- American cheese
- Aioli (or try a truffle mayonnaise)
- Gem lettuce
- Tomato slices
- Slices of raw red onion (Or saute some white onions)
- Kosher dill pickle slices
- Pretzel buns, toasted
This is inspired by the "Absinthe Burger" served at French Bistro in San Francisco.
Chef Preston Madson of Freemans
bistro in NYC makes its glamburger with healthy Piedmontese beef. Madson says that the leaner breed of cow produces a more muscular meat that, when turned into a patty, tastes more like ground steak.
There is also of course the Black Label
Minetta
burger, by
Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr. Many folks might mention “health” benefits; we’re ignoring that, but don't be too turned off to hear hear “hamburger” and “omega-3” in the same sentence. It tastes better is all you need to know.
Marco Canora and Paul Grieco, who revolutionized wine in America via Terrior, also knew the power of Piedmontese burgers when they served them at Insieme.
A few quick facts about Piedmontese Beef
Compare 3 grams of fat for a serving of Piedmontese Top Sirloin to 10 grams of fat for USDA Prime.
USDA research shows a 3.5 ounce Piedmontese steak has 36 grams of cholesterol, versus 68 grams of cholesterol for a regular steak.
So while you'll spend more with a lower-cholesterol, higher omega-3 fat, lean protein profile, some feel you get more beef for your buck.
You can read our entire essay about the uniqueness of this special breed of cattle, Piedmontese beef, AKA the Next Wagyu.