Pimento Cheese Burgers

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Pimento cheese is a popular burger topping in and around Columbia, South Carolina, where it‘s often called a PC burger. According to the Southern food expert John T. Edge in his book Hamburgers & Fries: An American Story , “Every third joint serves one, and at least half of them are good.” Dolloped atop a hot grilled patty, the piquant spread of cheddar, pimentos, mayo, and spices melts and blends beautifully with charred beef. The cheese gives so much flavor to the burger that you won’t need ketchup or mustard.

Featured in “ Doing It Their Way ” by Adam Kuban.

Yield: 4 Time: 30 minutes

• 4 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated onion
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped jarred pimentos, or other roasted red peppers
• ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ lb. ground beef, formed into 4 equal-size patties
• 4 hamburger buns, toasted
• Iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cheddar, mayonnaise, onion, pimentos, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then set aside.
2. Season the beef patties to taste with salt and black pepper. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.) Grill the patties, flipping once, until cooked to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons of pimento cheese over each patty, cover, and allow to melt. Arrange the bottom buns on plates, layer with the patties, tomatoes, lettuce, and top buns, and serve immediately.