Kimchi Beef Burgers with Fried Egg

Name: Kimchi Beef Burgers with Fried Egg
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20 chuck, cold, straight from the fridge; 1 tablespoon (17 g) gochujang; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¾ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use half as much if using fine table salt; 1½ cups (225 g) napa cabbage kimchi, squeezed gently to remove excess brine, then chopped into ½-inch pieces; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; ⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise; 1½ tablespoons (25 g) gochujang; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided: 1 teaspoon for the burger pan if needed, the rest for the eggs; 4 (200 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge is fine; crack each into a small cup first; 4 slices (84 g) American cheese slices, unwrapped; 4 (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split; 1½ tablespoons (21 g) unsalted butter, softened, for the buns; 2 (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only; 1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy pan-seared beef patties seasoned with gochujang and soy, topped with melty American cheese, a lacy-edged fried egg with a runny yolk, and quick-sautéed kimchi, all piled onto toasted brioche with a spicy-sweet gochujang mayo.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the patties
1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20 chuck, cold, straight from the fridge
1 tablespoon (17 g) gochujang
2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¾ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use half as much if using fine table salt
For the kimchi topping
1½ cups (225 g) napa cabbage kimchi, squeezed gently to remove excess brine, then chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
For the gochujang mayo
⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons (25 g) gochujang
1 teaspoon (5 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) toasted sesame oil
To cook and assemble
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided: 1 teaspoon for the burger pan if needed, the rest for the eggs
4 (200 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge is fine; crack each into a small cup first
4 slices (84 g) American cheese slices, unwrapped
4 (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split
1½ tablespoons (21 g) unsalted butter, softened, for the buns
2 (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron skillet or heavy stainless steel skillet
Large nonstick skillet, 10-inch (25 cm), for the eggs (optional; you can cook the eggs in the burger pan)
Sturdy spatula
Instant-read thermometer
Small bowl and mixing bowls
Plate or baking sheet lined with parchment

Steps

Before you start

Keep the ground beef in the fridge until you are ready to shape the patties. Cold fat keeps the burgers juicy.
Use well-fermented, sour kimchi if you can. Fresh kimchi tastes milder and gives less flavor.
Set out the eggs and buns, and have the cheese slices unwrapped. The cooking moves quickly once the pan is hot.
Open a window or turn on the vent hood. Searing burgers over high heat makes smoke.

1
Make gochujang mayo
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, 1½ tablespoons gochujang, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil until smooth and evenly orange-red.
- Cover and refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth with no streaks of gochujang.
Tip: Taste it. If your gochujang is very spicy, add a pinch of sugar to round it out.
2
Mix and shape patties
- Place the cold beef in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and salt.
- Mix gently with your fingertips just until combined, about 15 seconds.
- Divide into 4 equal portions (about 170 g / 6 oz each).
- Shape each into a ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick patty about 4½ inches (11 cm) wide, then press a shallow dimple into the center of each with your thumb.
- Place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cold, and hold together when lifted.
Tip: Overmixing makes the burgers dense and tough. Stop as soon as the seasonings are evenly distributed.
3
Sauté the kimchi
- Heat 1 teaspoon neutral oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped kimchi and sugar.
- Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the kimchi is slightly darkened, glossy and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
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Ready when: Kimchi looks glossy and slightly caramelized at the edges, with no pooling liquid.
Tip: Squeezing the kimchi first prevents it from steaming instead of browning.
4
Toast the buns
- Spread the softened butter over the cut sides of the brioche buns.
- Heat the skillet over medium heat.
- Toast the buns cut side down in batches for 1 to 2 minutes each, until deep golden brown.
- Set aside on a plate.
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Ready when: Cut sides are evenly golden brown and crisp to the touch.
Tip: Brioche browns fast because of its sugar. Stay close and pull the buns as soon as they color.
5
Sear the burgers
- Raise the heat to high and heat the skillet for 2 minutes until it just begins to smoke.
- Season the outside of the patties with a tiny pinch of extra salt if you like.
- Add the patties (add 1 teaspoon oil only if your pan is not well seasoned).
- Cook without moving for 3 minutes until a dark brown crust forms, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.
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Ready when: Deep brown crust on both sides; juices on top of the patty begin to bead up.
Tip: Do not press down on the patties with the spatula. It squeezes out the juices.
6
Melt the cheeseOven 160°F / 70°C
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Lay one slice of American cheese on each patty.
- Cover the pan with a lid or a large inverted bowl and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the burgers reach 160°F (71°C) in the center.
- Transfer the burgers to a plate and let them rest while you cook the eggs.
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Ready when: Cheese is completely melted and slumping over the edges; thermometer reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C) for safety. Insert the thermometer sideways into the patty edge.
7
Fry the eggs
- Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the 10-inch nonstick skillet (or wiped-out burger pan) over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Crack the eggs into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the edges are crisp and lacy but the yolks are still jiggly.
- For firmer yolks, cover for 1 minute.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
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Ready when: Whites are fully opaque and set with crispy edges; yolks still wobble when the pan is shaken.
Tip: Cook the eggs in two batches if your pan is crowded so they don't run together.
8
Assemble and serve
- Spread gochujang mayo on both cut sides of each toasted bun.
- Set a cheese-topped patty on each bottom bun, then spoon on a quarter of the sautéed kimchi, top with a fried egg, and scatter with scallions and sesame seeds if using.
- Add the bun tops and serve right away while the yolk is runny.
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Ready when: Burger stands tall with the egg centered on the kimchi.
Tip: Serve with napkins. The yolk will run when you bite in.

Good to know

Tips

Use 80/20 ground beef. Leaner beef turns dry in a quick sear.
Get the pan very hot before the patties go in, and leave them alone for the first 3 minutes to build the crust.
If your kimchi is very sour or salty, rinse it briefly and squeeze it dry before chopping, and keep the sugar in the recipe to balance.
Crack each egg into a small cup first so you can slide it into the pan gently and keep the yolk intact.

Make ahead

"The gochujang mayo keeps up to 5 days in the fridge. The patties can be shaped, covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead. The kimchi can be sautéed up to 2 days ahead and rewarmed in a skillet. Cook the eggs and burgers just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten right away. Leftover cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until hot (165°F / 74°C). Cooked patties freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Fried eggs and assembled burgers do not store well. Leftover sautéed kimchi and gochujang mayo keep in the fridge up to 5 days."

Substitutions

American cheese slices → mild cheddar or Monterey Jack. Tastes great, but American cheese melts the smoothest. Use thin slices and cover the pan so they melt fully.
brioche hamburger buns → potato rolls or standard hamburger buns. Toast the same way; they may need slightly less time.
gochujang → sriracha mayo (¼ cup mayonnaise plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha). Use if you don't have gochujang; the flavor is hotter and less sweet and savory.
ground beef, 80/20 chuck → ground pork or a 50/50 beef-pork blend. Cook pork patties to 160°F (71°C), the same as beef; adjust the sear time only slightly.