Satay-Spiced Beef Burger with Peanut Sauce

About This Recipe

This burger channels the flavor of sate, Indonesia's iconic grilled skewered meat, by working the same coriander, cumin and palm sugar-forward marinade into a ground beef patty instead of skewering cubes of meat. Satay itself is traditionally grilled over charcoal and basted with sweet soy sauce, so this patty leans into that same sweet-savory, warmly spiced direction rather than a plain burger seasoning. The defining element of any good satay experience is the peanut sauce, bumbu kacang, made by frying a spice paste and blending it with roasted peanuts, palm sugar and tamarind until it turns into a thick, glossy sauce with real depth beyond just "peanut butter with chile." Making it from scratch here, rather than using a jarred version, is what gives this burger an authentic satay character. Topped with the peanut sauce, sliced cucumber and crispy fried shallots, this is a handheld way to enjoy the flavors of one of Indonesia's most beloved dishes.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef(80/20 blend)
• 1 tbspground coriander
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 tbspkecap manis
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2shallots(roughly chopped, for peanut sauce)
• 1 clovegarlic(for peanut sauce)
• 1red chile(roughly chopped, or to taste)
• 0.75 cuproasted unsalted peanuts(or 1/2 cup natural peanut butter)
• 0.75 cupwater
• 2 tbspkecap manis(for sauce)
• 1 tsptamarind paste(or 1 tbsp lime juice)
• 4burger buns
• 1cucumber(thinly sliced)
• 0.25 cupfried shallots(for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the patties

   Combine ground beef, ground coriander, cumin, kecap manis, minced garlic and salt. Mix gently and shape into 4 patties.

2. 2

   Make the peanut sauce base

   Blend shallots, garlic and chile into a paste. If using whole peanuts, pulse them separately until finely ground but not a paste.

3. 3

   Cook the peanut sauce

   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry the shallot-garlic-chile paste 2 minutes until fragrant. Add ground peanuts (or peanut butter), water, kecap manis and tamarind paste. Simmer 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.

   Stir frequently as the sauce thickens — ground peanuts and peanut butter can catch and scorch on the bottom of the pan if left unattended.

4. 4

   Cook the patties

   Heat remaining oil in a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook patties 4 minutes per side until well browned and internal temperature reaches 71C (160F).

5. 5

   Toast the buns

   Toast bun halves in the same pan for the last minute of cooking.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Spread peanut sauce on the bottom bun, add the patty, more peanut sauce, cucumber slices and fried shallots. Close with the top bun and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Grill the patties over charcoal instead of pan-frying for a smokier flavor closer to traditional satay.

• •

  Add a squeeze of lime to the finished peanut sauce for extra brightness.

• •

  Make the peanut sauce spicier by adding an extra chile, or milder by using just half a chile.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties and peanut sauce separately up to 3 days. Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat; warm the peanut sauce gently with a splash of water to loosen it back to a pourable consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions