Hemingway Burgers 🍔 & His Daiquiri

A spin on your July 4th plans

I’ve been a fan of Hemingway’s writing for a long time but just recently learned of his love for good food.

That has sent me down a rabbit hole which started with beef tartare, his wine collection at Club 21 in NYC, his love of game meat (esp raw lion meat) and now, finding his preferred burger recipe.

While this recipe has been adapted and was intended for a griddle (or cast iron/pan) I’ve added instructions at the end for cooking on a charcoal grill.

If you want to melt cheese on this burger I’d suggest provolone and not a cheddar which would not be the best flavor match IMO.

India relish is available in stores or on Amazon. You could sub another relish but won’t be quite the same.

Hemingway Burger 🍔

Allowing the seasoning to marinate the meat briefly before adding the egg and red wine is a good call.

I’ve included the method verbatim from Hemingway, then added charcoal grill instructions.

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, grated on box grater

4 heaping tsp India relish

1/4 cup capers, chopped

3 heaping tsp dry sage

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp MSG

1 tsp sugar

1 TB sea salt

1 egg, beaten in a cup with a fork

About 1/2 cup dry red or white wine

1 TB cooking oil

Method

1. Break up the meat with a fork and scatter the garlic, onion and dry seasonings over it, then mix them into the meat with a fork or your fingers.

2. Let the bowl of meat sit out of the icebox for ten or fifteen minutes while you set the table and make the salad.

3. Add the relish, capers, everything else including wine and let the meat sit, quietly marinating, for another ten minutes if possible.

4. Now make your fat, juicy patties with your hands. The patties should be an inch thick, and soft in texture but not runny.

5. Have the oil in your frying pan hot but not smoking when you drop in the patties and then turn the heat down and fry the burgers about four minutes. Take the pan off the burner and turn the heat high again.

6. Flip the burgers over, put the pan back on the hot fire, then after one minute, turn the heat down again and cook another three minutes.

7. Both sides of the burgers should be crispy brown and the middle pink and juicy.

8. * for a charcoal grill. Make the patties a little thicker and using your thumb make a depression in the center of the patty about 1/2inch deep.

9. Cook the burgers on indirect heat on one side, until rare. (Ideally covered, with the dome vent open and above the patties to pull heat and smoke up and over)

10. Flip the burgers over on to the coal-side of the grill and cook over high heat until browned on the outside and medium.

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To serve alongside or whilst grilling, the Hemingway daiquiri is iconic and delicious

Hemingway Daiquiri

This is the only daq you’ll ever want to have. While most are on the sweet side, the Hemingway daq is citrus-acid heavy and no sugar… and boozy.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 oz white rum
1/2 oz maraschino liqueur
3/4 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 oz grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: lime wheel

Method

Add the rum, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled, but don’t dilute.

Strain into a coupe glass.