Argentine Asado Burgers With Seared Provolone and Chimichurri Recipe

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated March 19, 2019
20150624-argentine-chimichanga-burger-vicky-wasik-6.jpg
All the flavors of an Argentine asado in one package. . Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Handling the ground beef as little as possible, and seasoning it only after forming it into patties, ensures loose, juicy results.
  • Searing the provolone in a smoking hot skillet browns the outside before the cheese fully melts.
  • Pressing a dimple into each patty prevents it from seizing up into a ball when cooked.

Even if you've never been to a proper asado, the legendary grilling feast that takes place in the mountains of South America, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy those flavors at home. It doesn't even mean you can't squeeze those flavors between two pieces of bread and transform them into a miraculous cheeseburger. Because you can, and this is the result: a juicy burger patty topped with a griddled slab of provolone cheese (known as provoleta in Argentina) and spoonfuls of tart, garlicky chimichurri sauce.

Recipe Details

Argentine Asado Burgers With Seared Provolone and Chimichurri Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck, preferably about 80% lean, formed into 4 (6-ounce) patties

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 (1/4-inch thick) rounds provolone cheese

  • 8 thin slices crusty peasant bread, trimmed to size of patties, drizzled with olive oil, and toasted until lightly browned

  • Chimichurri sauce, for spooning

Directions

  1. Press a dimple into the top of each burger patty. Season patties generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add patties and cook, turning, to desired doneness (120°F for rare, 125°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium). Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels. Return skillet to high heat and heat until smoking. Add cheese rounds to skillet and cook until undersides are just starting to turn molten, 15–30 seconds. Using a thin metal spatula, quickly scrape under each cheese round and flip. Cook until cheese is almost fully melted and softened throughout, then slide spatula underneath and transfer each round to a burger patty. Season with salt.

  3. Set each cheese-topped patty on top of a slice of toast, spoon chimichurri sauce on top, and close burgers. Serve right away.

Special equipment

Large cast iron skillet, thin metal spatula

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
641 Calories
46g Fat
6g Carbs
50g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 641
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g 59%
Saturated Fat 19g 96%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 1171mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 490mg 38%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 602mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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