Beef, Black Bean & Corn Burgers

I ended up not wanting to make the recipe I planned for today, so I had to make something work with what I had on hand.

I would call these typical "southwest" burgers, but they're a bit different with the black beans and the addition of the sweet corn made them less typical. 

I've used this black bean trick to extend ground beef before and decided to use it again for these. It's amazing how you can stretch some ground beef with a can of black beans.

Beef, Black Bean & Corn Burgers

2 ears of sweet corn, cooked, cut off cob

1 lb ground beef

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 tsp ground garlic

1/2 cup of salsa

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

==

I began by cooking my corn. I got a great deal on sweet corn and have been meaning to use it. All I did was cook it in the microwave for 6 minutes (for 3 ears) in the husk. Let it sit until you can handle it. 

Cut it off the cob, getting as close as you can.

You'll only need one ear for the burgers, but I used the rest on the burgers later.

Next, get the black beans in a bowl. Season with the garlic powder and some salt and pepper.

Get a spatula and mash them pretty well. 

Get your ground beef into a bowl.

Add the black beans and stir to combine.

Add the spices and stir well.

Add your salsa. I only had a little left, so I used two different kinds. 

Throw in the corn.

Form the meat into patties. I made 8 and saved the extra meat. This should make at least 12 patties. 

When you're ready to cook, get a pan over high heat and add a little oil. I chose to use a grill pan, but you can use a regular pan no problem.

I only cooked them for 2 minutes on the first side. 

They may look like they are falling apart, but they held up pretty well. I was trying to avoid using a binder because it always reminds me of eating little meatloaves, which I'm not going for. 

Top with some cheese if you feel like it. I used provolone. I made a second round with queso fresco and it worked well too. 

I made some chipotle mayo (just mayo and chipotle taco sauce mixed together) as the condiment and topped the burgers with some of the corn chunks, sliced onion and some pickled Fresno chiles. 

I sliced the chiles and put them in a small bowl, then covered them in vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar. It takes some of the heat from them and adds some pleasant texture, color and spice. Totally optional.

Overall they were really tasty burgers. Just the right amount of "southwest" without being annoying. The corn and chiles were sweet and hot, while the savory burgers and chipotle mayo balanced the burger out well.

Enjoy!