BURGERS
Level 3
Meat Pie Yurts
Serves 4
Meat Pie Yurts
Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: crock pot: 6-8 hours on low, or
Cooking Time: crock pot: 6-8 hours on low, or
Dutch oven: about 4 hours on simmer
Serving dishes: circular, oven-proof soup bowls
Serving dishes: circular, oven-proof soup bowls
Bye bye, chili and Shepard’s pie.... The presentation of four miniature meat pies topped with golden brown mashed potato roofs is adorable. Each meat pie is a complete, self-contained meal. Paired with a salad of mixed greens, it’s a fun meal to throw on the table for friends on a chilly Sunday night.
Inside your crockpot, meat juices, plum tomatoes, chicken broth, and wine will replenish even the most moisture-stunted burger meat. The broth has a beefy depth to it flavored by the “gourmet fat” of the bacon. Another bonus of using a slow cooker is that dried mushrooms can be added to the mix without having to be re-hydrated first.
Cookware required: crockpot (aka slow cooker) or a dutch oven (a fancy word for any heavy weight, enamel-coated pot with a tight fitting lid.)
For hamburger yurts:
2 Tbsp. butter
4 strips raw bacon, finely chopped
1 cup chopped onion (about 2 small onions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped mushrooms (your choice)
1 Tbsp. each: dry parsley, oregano and basil (if fresh, then finely chop)
1 14.5 oz. can peeled tomatoes, including juice
4 once cooked burgers, broken into small pieces
3 cups chicken or beef broth
½ cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms or shitakes (optional)
2 Tbsp. butter
4 strips raw bacon, finely chopped
1 cup chopped onion (about 2 small onions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped mushrooms (your choice)
1 Tbsp. each: dry parsley, oregano and basil (if fresh, then finely chop)
1 14.5 oz. can peeled tomatoes, including juice
4 once cooked burgers, broken into small pieces
3 cups chicken or beef broth
½ cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms or shitakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepping Tip for cutting bacon: Use scissors to snip bacon into little pieces, three strips at a time. It’s faster and easier.
Substitution Tip: Instant potato buds are nothing to be ashamed of as long as you tinker a bit with directions on the box. For a richer mix, decrease the amount of liquid called for by 50%, substituting half and half for the milk and water.
1. In a deep skillet, heat butter. When butter begins to brown slightly, add bacon, cooking until close to crispy.
2. Add onions, garlic and celery and keep cooking until translucent.
3. Add fresh mushrooms, and cook entire mixture over medium heat until mushrooms begin to soften and release their moisture.
4. Empty mixture into slow cooker.
5. Add hamburger meat, tomatoes (including juice), broth, white wine, bay leaf, herbs, and dried mushrooms, blending well with a wooden spoon.
6. Set crock pot to low. Cover tightly with lid, and forget about it. When done cooking, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking Tip: If using a Dutch oven, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Empty all ingredients into pot; mix well and cover tightly. Place in oven for 6-8 hours.
For mashed potato roofs:
6 once cooked potatoes, peeled and mashed (or 4 cups prepared potato buds)
1/2 cup half & half (or milk))
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
6 once cooked potatoes, peeled and mashed (or 4 cups prepared potato buds)
1/2 cup half & half (or milk))
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, add potatoes, half & half, cream cheese, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth and liquid is incorporated.
- Ladle 1 cup of meat mixture into oven-proof soup bowls, leaving 1” for the potato mixture.
- Spoon mashed potatoes on top of the meat to cover. Sprinkle each “roof” with shredded cheese, and dot each “roof” with 1 teaspoon of butter.
- Place bowls on a cookie sheet or in a glass pan; bake 20 minutes until tops are golden brown.
