This is not your average burger! If you are looking for a unique burger that combines juicy, tender hamburger patties with rich and creamy melted brie cheese, the sweetness of spiced poached pears, the savory crisp crunch of pancetta, and the peppery bite of fresh arugula, this is the recipe for you!
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Brie Burger: Why you should make them?
- Totally Worth It: These unique burgers may take a little extra effort to make but the results are worth it!
- Restaurant-style without the price tag: Eating out can be expensive, especially if you are feeding a family. Enjoy the perfect gourmet hamburger at home and show off your burger making skills!
- Gourmet Burgers: These brie burgers are easy enough to make on a weeknight and impressive enough to serve on special occasions. You will most likely be asked to share the recipe. Yes, they are that good!
- Inspired by Kuma’s Corner Hand-Crafted Burgers: This recipe is inspired by a Chicago restaurant known for their metal inspired themed burgers. This one is called “Lair of the Minotaur”.
Brie Burger Ingredient Highlights
Be sure to check the printable recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and their exact quantities.
- Ground Beef: For flavorful, juicy burgers I like using 80/20 ground beef (80% lean beef, 20% fat). When possible, buy grass-fed beef which is better tasting and better for you. These burgers can be made with ground wagyu beef also.
- Poached Pears: you can use any type of pear although for this recipe I usually stick with Barlett, Bosc or conference pears. The poaching liquid combines ginger ale with a little bit of bourbon and cinnamon sticks. If you don’t have bourbon, you can skip it or use any type of whiskey. the reason why I use ginger ale (besides the flavor), is because it already contains sugar – one less added ingredient for this recipe.
- Burger Seasonings: I season the meat with seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder and my secret ingredient – Dijon mustard! This may not be a typical hamburger patty ingredient but trust me, after you taste these burger patties you will become a believer!
- Pancetta: Bacon’s Italian cousin is cooked in the oven to crispy perfection! I buy pancetta, freshly sliced from the deli counter.
- Brie Cheese: The star of the show! i use double cream brie for extra creaminess and richness.
- Fresh Arugula: the peppery taste of arugula balances the sweet flavors of the pears.
Ingredient Swaps
- Beef: Swap the ground beef with ground turkey (I prefer ground turkey breast meat which is very lean), bison, ground chicken, or ground pork. You can also use a plant-based alternative.
- Pancetta: Instead of pancetta, use crispy bacon or prosciutto.
- Arugula: if you are not a big fan of arugula, you can use fresh baby spinach, romaine or butter lettuce.
- Cheese: The sky is the limit when it comes to cheese that pair well with burgers. Smoked or regular gouda, cheddar, Swiss, goat cheese and blue cheese are great options.
How to Make Brie Burgers?
For detailed instructions and cooking times, check the recipe card below.
- Poach the pears: In a small saucepan combine the ginger ale, bourbon and cinnamon stick. Add the pears and simmer until the pears are tender. The poached pears can be made 2-3 days earlier and be kept stored in the refrigerator.
- Season and mix the beef: Add the seasonings to the meat and with your hands, mix until just combined. Don’t over work it or knead it as this compresses the beef and creates dense and chewy patties. A gentle touch is key for light and tender hamburgers.
- Shape the patties: Divide the mixture into 6 patties and shape them, without compressing the meat. packing up the meat too tightly results in tough burgers. lastly, make an indentation in the middle of each burger. This easy step prevent the hamburgers from puffing up while cooking.
- Fire up the grill, grill pan, griddle or skillet: Cook the burgers on a grill, grill pan, on the stove top in a skillet, on a griddle or flat top. I provide instructions for each method in the recipe card below! Cook the beef patties until golden brown and lightly charred on the first side. Flip over the burgers with a spatula and cook until done to your likeness.
- Top with cheese: During the last minute of cooking, top the burgers with cheese and if using a grill, closed the lid so the cheese melts. You can use a lid or aluminum foil as well. while the cheese melts, toast your burger buns and gather the rest of the ingredients.
- Assemble the burgers: Place the melted brie patties on toasted buns and top with crispy pancetta. Slice the poached pears thinly. Top the burger with a few slices of pear and a handful of fresh arugula. Serve with preferred condiments and be wowed!
Key rules to a better burger
- Use good quality beef, grass fed if possible. Choosing the right fat content is key for juicy, flavorful burgers. 80/20 ground beef (80% lean beef, 20% fat)is a great option. Although you can make burgers with leaner meat, keep in mind that fat = moisture + flavor.
- Do not overwork the meat when mixing it and don’t overpack or compress the beef when forming the patties.
- Make a small indentation in the center of each patty to prevent them from bulging up when cooking.
- Cook the burgers over high heat or in a very hot pan until browned for the best flavor and juiciness. A cast iron pan is ideal when cooking burgers indoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this brie burger with poached pears taste like?
Each bite combines the creamy, slightly earthy taste of brie cheese with the hearty, robust flavor of a perfectly grilled beef patty, the sweet flavor of tender boozy bourbon poached pears and the perfect crispy texture of pancetta. Topped with arugula, this brie burger combines savory, sweet, creamy, rich, crispy and umami all in one bite. In other words, this burger is PURE PERFECTION!
Do you take off the rind of brie before eating?
The bloomy rind of brie cheese is edible but whether you eat the rind or not is your personal preference.
Can I make a vegetarian brie burger?
Absolutely! Use a plant-based burger and skip the pancetta or replace it with plant-based bacon or mushroom bacon.
Do I have to use ginger ale for poaching pears?
No, you don’t have to use ginger ale. We picked this ingredient because of flavor and the fact that it already contains sugar. You can poach pears in a combination of white wine and sugar. Add a piece of fresh ginger and bourbon for best results!
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
- Making Ahead: the poached pears can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Store the pears in the poaching liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Raw burger patties freeze well for up to 3 months. Set them on a sheet pan or plate and freeze them until they are firm and can hold their shape, then transfer them to a freezer safe resealable bag or container and store them in the freezer. Thaw out in the fridge overnight and cook as directed.
Take a look at these other beef recipes:
Gourmet Brie Burger with Poached Pears
The perfect Brie Burger is made with homemade burger patties topped with bourbon infused poached pears, gooey melty Brie cheese, crispy pancetta and fresh arugula on buttery, toasted brioche buns! These restaurant-style gourmet burgers are totally epic!
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 2 pounds ground beef, I used ground chuck 80% lean-20% fat
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Oil for brushing the burgers
For the Poached Pears
- 24 ounces ginger ale
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 pears,peeled, cored and cut in half lengthwise
Toppings
- ½ pound pancetta, cooked until desire crispiness
- 8 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 6 burger buns, split and toasted (I used Brioche burger buns)
- Condiments as desired
Instructions
Make the Poached Pears
- In a small saucepan combine the ginger ale, bourbon and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Add the pears and simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until the pears are tender.
- You can let the pears cool in the simmering liquid or if press for time, remove the pears immediately. Cut the pears into thin slices. Reserve.
Make and Cook the Burgers:
- In a large bowl combine the ground beef, season salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper and Dijon mustard. Gently mix to combine taking care not to compress the ingredients.
- Divide the meat into 6 even portions (6 – ounces each) and form into pucks. Do not overwork the meat.
- With your fingers make a shallow indentation on the center of each patty, this will prevent the burger from bulging while cooking.
If using a Grill:
- Build a charcoal fire until the coals glow bright orange and ash over or heat a gas grill to high. Brush the burgers with oil. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and lightly charred on the first side. With a spatula flip over the burgers and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare. Cook longer for well done.
- Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking and cover the grill to melt the cheese.
If using a Grill Pan:
- Heat a grill pan over high heat. Cook the burgers as directed above. Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking and cover the grill pan with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.
If using a Sautee Pan or Griddle:
- Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and lightly charred on the first side. With a spatula flip over the burgers and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare. Cook longer for well done.
- Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking. Tent some aluminum foil over the top to melt the cheese.
Assemble:
- Lightly toast the burger buns. Top with the burger and cheese. Top with crispy pancetta, sliced poached pears and a small handful of fresh arugula. Serve!
- If you don’t want your cheese melted do not add it to the burger patties the last minute of cooking time. Just top the burgers with the cheese when assembling.
Notes
- What to do with the poaching liquid aka liquid gold: Bring the poaching liquid to a boil and reduce it by half. Serve it as you would any syrup over fruit or ice-cream.
- Making Ahead: the poached pears can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Store the pears in the poaching liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Raw burger patties freeze well for up to 3 months. Set them on a sheet pan or plate and freeze them until they are firm and can hold their shape, then transfer them to a freezer safe resealable bag or container and store them in the freezer. Thaw out in the fridge overnight and cook as directed.
Nutrition
Calories: 685 kcal, Carbohydrates: 30 g, Protein: 44 g, Fat: 50 g, Saturated Fat: 20 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23 g, Trans Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 170 mg, Sodium: 1221 mg, Potassium: 720 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 9 g, Vitamin A: 414 IU, Vitamin C: 4 mg, Calcium: 185 mg, Iron: 5 mg
This recipe was first published in 2017 and has been updated with new content that includes step-by-step photos. The recipe remains the same.
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