Skip to main content

Style Magazine

Seasonal Recipe and Beer Pairing: Classic Cheeseburger with Homemade Pickles

Feast from the Fire: 65 Summer Recipes to Cook and Share Outdoors by Valerie Aikman-Smith (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, $21.95)


A weekend BBQ is not complete without a classic hamburger. Use high-quality beef that has a good amount of fat in it—that way you will end up with a juicy, mouthwatering burger. Homemade pickles add a nice tart crunch. Serve with a large platter piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions so guests can build their own burger.

• 1 1/2 lb. freshly ground beef, 20 percent fat 

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

• 4 slices Cheddar cheese 

• 4 hamburger buns 

• Oil, for brushing the grate 

FOR THE PICKLES 

• 6 Persian cucumbers, sliced into rounds 

• 2 bay leaves 

• 2 cups white wine vinegar 

• 1/2 cup white sugar 

• 2 tbsp. kosher salt 

• 2 tsp. mustard seeds

• 1/4 cup water 

TO SERVE 

• Lettuce

• Sliced onions

• Ketchup

• Mayo

• Tomatoes

• Pickled chiles

1) Make the pickles ahead of time, as they will need to marinate for at least an hour. Pack the cucumbers and bay leaves into a sterilized glass jar. Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium–high. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the hot mixture over the cucumbers, cap with a tight-fitting lid, and set aside. These will keep for up to 6 months in the fridge. 

2) Place the beef in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Gently shape the meat into four patties about 1 inch thick. Using your thumb, gently make a small indentation in the center of each patty. This ensures they will keep their shape when cooking. Heat a grill/barbecue to medium–high. Brush the grate with oil. Place the patties on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip them over and continue to cook for another 5 minutes for medium-rare, or longer for well done. For the last 2 minutes of cooking, place a slice of cheese on top of each patty to melt. 

3) Slice and toast the buns on the grill, then serve alongside the patties, pickles, and platter of fixings. Serves 4.


Pairs With: Crooked Lane Brewing Company’s 1-2 Punch 

ABV: 6.5%

Crooked Lane Brewing Company’s 1-2 Punch 
ABV: 6.5%
While Crooked Lane, located in Auburn, offers a vast selection of German lagers, West Coast and New England-style IPAs, and barrel-aged sours and ales, their 1-2 Punch is particularly palatable. The New England-inspired IPA offers big tropical aromas, a moderate ABV, and an unbelievably juicy flavor that’s exactly what your summer barbecue is missing. Peach, mango, and tropical hops give it a bright, bold flavor that pairs nicely with beef and tangy pickled cucumbers. With its clean finish and soft bitterness, it’s the ideal summertime sip.

—Greg Salva, 36 Handles


Sip on this:

Wine Steals under $15

Established in 1877 in a small town near Florence, Italy, Ruffino has continued to flourish and is known for clean, balanced, consistent, high-quality wines. For more info, visit ruffino.com.  

Ruffino Prosecco


ABV: 11%

OVERALL RATING: 4

Tasting Notes: Dry, crisp, fruity, and fragrant; complex and easy to drink; aromas of freshly cut citrus with notes of apples, pears, and peaches; perfect pairing for appetizers like bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, and salted nuts, or alongside creamy pasta dishes and rich cheeses 

Price: $11.99

Purchase: Total Wine & More


Ruffino Sparkling Rosé


ABV: 11%

OVERALL RATING: 4

Tasting Notes: Elegant and effervescent with a beautiful pink hue; hints of strawberries and rose petals with lingering notes of berries and nectarines; crisp acidity; fresh and fizzy; perfect bottle to bring to a brunch or summer soirée

Price: $12.99

Purchase: Total Wine & More


Overall Rating is the average score (out of 5) compiled by Style staff tasters. Ratings should be taken with a grain of salt, as we are by no means “experts”—just hard-working employees who enjoy imbibing.


Recipes excerpted with permission from Feast from the Fire: 65 Summer Recipes to Cook and Share Outdoors, published by Ryland Peters & Small. Photos by Erin Kunkel. Beer photo courtesy of Crooked Lane Brewing Company. Sparkling wine photos courtesy of Shadow.