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Half pound hamburger patties, seasoned with taco seasoning, grilled over charcoal and topped with spicy pepper jack cheese. Then the cheeseburgers are plated on a toasted bun with red, ripe tomatoes, creamy guacamole and crunchy tortilla strips to provide that wonderful mouthfeel for these crunchy taco burgers. I mean, who doesn’t love a taco burger AKA Taco Bun? Thus, we all love burgers and we all love tacos. Indeed, best of both worlds!
Indeed, if you are slightly more daring check out this burger/taco fusion we call the Big Mac Taco or this gyro/burger combo which we call the Lamburger Smash Burger. Both are burger fusions that have blown our friends and family away.
Also, the hot new trend is to call this a Taco Bun. Usually, the hamburger is seasoned with a more traditional taco seasoning, but this is pretty close.
I will use Taco Bun a couple times in this recipe for SEO purposes.
Crunchy Taco Burgers Ingredients
- 2 lbs of ground beef (80/20 blend)
- Salt
- Taco seasoning
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
- 4 buns
- Spray oil
- Red, ripe tomato, sliced
- 4 heaping tablespoons of guacamole
- Tortilla strips
Initially, divide the ground beef into 4 half pound patties to make our taco burgers:
Then, season each side of the raw burger with a heavy dose of salt.
These burgers are pretty thick, so don’t scrimp on the salt
Season one side of the burgers with the taco seasoning:
Again, don’t go light on the seasoning. These taco burgers are thick, so make sure the seasoning can stand up to a full 8 ounces of beef.
Also, don’t season the bottom side just yet.
We will get to that in a minute.
At this time, prepare the grill for direct grilling with a hot bed of coals right under where the burgers will cook
I used an Everdure Cube which is a great little tailgating grill.
Then, place the burgers on the grill, seasoned side down and season the top:
Keep flipping these burgers until they reach a temp between 130F-140F and a nice flavor crust forms on the outside:
Subsequently, add the pepper jack cheese to each taco burger and allow to melt:
When the cheese has melted, remove each taco burger from the grill:
Toasted Hamburger Buns Hack
Open up the buns and give the sliced side of the buns a good soaking with spray oil. Place the oiled buns, oil side down on the grill but don’t go anywhere. These buns will toast in seconds (less if no fat is applied to the sliced side of the buns). The oil slows down the browning of the buns by a few seconds. Thus, without the oil, the buns will burn almost immediately:
How to Make a Taco Burger
Let’s assemble our taco bun.
Top the lower toasted bun with some red, ripe tomatoes:
Then, add one of those thick, juicy taco burgers and a dollop of the creamy guacamole:
What really sets this taco burger apart is the crispy tortilla strips we put on top here to give this taco burger some crunch:
Finally, add that top, toasted bun for a little extra crunch and our taco bun is ready:
Crunchy Taco Burgers Recap
We all know how to grill a burger. This recipe is more about a somewhat unique flavor profile for a burger. Therefore, we have spiciness from the taco seasoning and pepper jack cheese countered by the acid and sweetness of the tomatoes and the creaminess of the guac. All of that, plus some crunch from the tortilla chips and toasted buns wrapped around that oh so wonderful hamburger (or taco bun). This is a wonderful way to take the traditional deliciousness of the cheeseburger and shake things up.
If you have any questions or comments about this taco bun, feel free to leave them below or send me an email.
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Crunch Taco Burgers Recipe Card:
Crunchy Taco Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Ground beef 80/20 blend
- Salt
- Taco Seasoning
- 4 slices Pepper jack cheese
- Spray oil
- 4 Hamburger buns
- Red, ripe tomato
- 4 tablespoons Guacamole
- Tortilla strips
Instructions
- Form the ground beef into four 8 ounce patties, salting each side. Coat the top of the patties with the taco seasoning, leaving the bottom alone until the burgers hit the grill
- Prepare the grill for direct grilling over high heat
- Slap the burgers down, seasoning side down and season the tops with the taco spices
- Keep flipping the burgers until they reach an internal temperature between 130F-140F and then top each taco burger with a slice of pepper jack cheese. When the cheese melts, remove the taco burgers from the grill
- Split the buns and spray the sliced sides with a healthy dose of spray oil and place them oiled side down on the grill. Toast the buns for a few seconds and remove from the grill once they are browned a little
- Assemble the taco burgers by placing a couple slices of tomato on top of the bottom bun, then a taco burger patty, followed by a heaping tablespoon of guac and a handful of tortilla strips. Finish off with the top bun and serve
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