Firecracker Burger Recipe – A Delicious Way To Spice Up Your Cheeseburgers!

Although there are several ways to make homemade hamburgers, my favorite recipe to really spice things up is with this Firecracker Burger recipe.

A juicy burger that is layered with a ton of flavor from start to finish. And it all starts with adding a little spice to the meat itself.

Cajun seasoning is used to give the ground sirloin a little kick. Then the grilled hamburgers are topped with two pieces of spicy cheese.

However, to make things even more delicious, a spicy, homemade sauce is added on top. And don’t forget the addition of pickled jalapeno peppers as well!

Although these burgers are layered with a ton of heat, they are super flavorful. Anyone who love things spicy will tell you that there is a huge difference between good heat and just plain heat.

And with the various ingredients and flavors that are included in this recipe, this would definitely fall in the category of good heat. With just one bite, you will agree!

Firecracker Burger Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce
• 2 lbs. Ground Sirloin
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ tsp. Fresh ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 8 slices Hot Pepper Jack Cheese
• 4 hamburger buns
• ¼ cup pickled Jalapeños

Additional Toppings

• Lettuce, tomato and onion for toppings if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making a Firecracker Burger is to prepare the sauce. Although you could purchase a spicy condiment to pour on top of the burgers, it is easy to make your own with just 2 basic ingredients.

All you need is mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce. For those who aren’t familiar with Sriracha sauce, it is a chili pepper sauce that is commonly found in both Thai & Vietnamese restaurants.

If you can’t find it in the condiment aisle at your local grocery store, head to the ethnic food aisle instead. It will often be found near the Asian food next to other, more well known sauces such as soy sauce and tamari.

Once you have your Sriracha sauce, add it to a medium size bowl. Then add the mayonnaise and mix it until well incorporated.

Cover and place the sauce in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the firecracker burgers. Now it is time to make the burgers themselves.

Make The Burgers

Place the ground sirloin in a large bowl. Add the Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and mix the spices nto the meat just until incorporated.

You don’t want to over mix or compress the ground sirloin too much. Otherwise you will end up with dense burgers.

To help prevent over working the meat, use a fork instead of your hands to mix. This will prevent you from having the urge to squeeze the meat too hard.

After the spices have been evenly distributed in the meat, score the meat into 4 equal portions. Then, working with one section at the time, form the patties.

Again, as you are making the patties, lightly squeeze the meat being sure not to compress the meat too much. Once the patties are formed, place a thumbprint size indention in the top center of each burger.

This will help prevent the firecracker burgers from developing a dome shape when grilled. Before placing the burgers on the grill, let them sit at room temperature.

Grilling Instructions

Pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill on medium heat. Once hot, place the burgers on the grill over direct heat and grill for 5 minutes.

Then flip and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until they are cooked to desired doneness. Check the internal temperature with an instant read digital thermometer so that they are cooked to your desired doneness.

Right before you take the burgers off the grill add two slices of cheese on top. I prefer to place the cheese slices at different angles so that the entire burger is covered in the cheese, but that isn’t necessary.

Once the cheese has been placed on top close the lid so that the cheese can melt. Then transfer the burgers to a clean plate or platter.

Cover the burgers loosely with foil that is in a tent shape so that it doesn’t touch the cheese. Let the firecracker burgers rest for 5 minutes.

While the burgers are resting, place the buns, cut side down on the grill. Let them sit directly on the grill grates until lightly toasted.

Assemble the burgers by placing the lettuce directly on the bottom bun. This will help prevent the bun from becoming too soggy.

Then add tomato and onion on top of the lettuce if desired. Place the burger on the lettuce, tomato and onion, and then top the burger with Sriracha Mayo sauce and pickled jalapeños.

Serve immediately with a cold beverage!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I don’t have Cajun seasoning, what else can I use?

If you don’t have cajun seasoning, you can make your own by mixing together a few common spices.

• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano

Mix the spices together and store in an air tight container for up to a year.

2. Can I use another type of cheese?

You can use whatever type of cheese that you prefer. If you want to keep things spicy for your Firecracker burger pick any spicy cheese that you want.

In fact, for this recipe I often use Habanero Muenster cheese that I purchase at my local market. However, if you want to tame down the heat use a milder cheese such as Cheddar, Swiss or Provolone.

3. What other type of sauce can I use?

Although I prefer the mayo and Sriracha sauce to top these burgers, you can use any store bought sauce that you prefer.

Look in the condiment aisle at the grocery and you will find all sorts of burger sauces. If you don’t find a spicy one, like this Spicy Chipotle Sauce, you can always add a little cayenne pepper to standard burger sauce.

4. What side dish would go well with Firecracker Burgers?

Although you could serve Grilled Corn on the Cob with your burgers, I would suggest a dairy based side dish as well to tame the heat.

Some of my favorites are Potato salad and Macaroni salad. However you could also serve a cool and refreshing side dish like Pasta salad or Cucumber, Onion & Tomato salad.

Enjoy! Mary

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