Cajun Blackened Burger with Remoulade
A Louisiana-style beef burger with blackened Cajun spices, seared to a dark crust and topped with tangy Creole remoulade.
- Prep
- 15min
- Cook
- 10min
- Total
- 25min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 670per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Blackening is the reason for the very hot cast iron and the unmoved patties. A thick coat of paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powder and thyme is pressed into the beef, and over high heat it toasts into a dark, nearly black crust in 3 to 4 minutes per side. That crust should taste spicy and toasty, not burnt.
It's smoky work, so turn on the hood fan or open a window first. The remoulade, a mix of mayo, Dijon, pickle relish, capers and hot sauce, goes on both halves of the bun to cool things down, with lettuce and tomato for crunch.
Cajun Blackened Burger with Remoulade
Prep 15 min, cook 10 min, total 25 min. About 670 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/cajun-blackened-burger-remoulade
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Make Creole remoulade: whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pickle relish, chopped capers, and hot sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Mix paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl to create Cajun spice blend.
Form ground beef into 4 equal patties. Generously coat both sides of each patty with the Cajun spice blend, pressing it into the meat.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over high heat until very hot. Cook patties for 3-4 minutes per side without moving them, allowing a black crust to form, until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C).
Toast brioche buns until golden.
Assemble burgers: spread remoulade sauce generously on both bun halves, place lettuce on bottom buns, add blackened beef patties, top with tomato slices, then crown with top buns. Serve with French fries and extra remoulade on the side.
Tips
- Press the spice blend firmly into both sides so it forms a coat, not a dusting. Loose spice falls into the oil and burns.
- Heat the pan for a full 5 minutes before the oil goes in, then leave the patties alone until it's time to flip. The crust needs steady contact.
- If the crust is very dark before the center reaches 160°F (71°C), turn the heat to medium, cover the pan for a minute and check again.
- Make the remoulade first and chill it while you cook, so the capers and relish have time to season the mayo.
Substitutions
- Store-bought Cajun seasoning instead of the homemade blend: most contain salt, so skip the extra salt.
- Creole mustard instead of Dijon in the remoulade: coarser and spicier.
- Milder heat: halve the cayenne and add a little more paprika to keep the dark color.
- Ground turkey: cook it to 165°F (74°C) over slightly lower heat, since leaner meat sticks and dries out faster.
Make ahead & storage
The remoulade keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge, and the dry spice blend keeps for months in a sealed jar. Cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days; reheat to 165°F (74°C) in a skillet, though the crust softens.
