Dad's Grillin' Burgers on Independence Day

Dad's favorite holiday tradition: grilled burgers with homemade special sauce and memories that last a lifetime

My dad loved to grill.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst.

Always on the Fourth of July.

He never missed rolling out the grill on his favorite holiday. Each year, our family left early to claim a spot at the Huntington Beach July 4th Parade. After four hours, we’d return, pull out the slip ‘n’ slide, change into bathing suits, grab a drink, and my dad would fire up the grill.

His grilling style was all about simplicity and flavor. He had no interest in all those fixings we’d prep for the meal. Not a fancy guy, he liked his burger with a toasted bun, pickles, and ketchup. I like all the extras, so my burger is always piled high with cheese, fruit, veggies, special sauce, briny and crunchy, and impossible to eat without a bib!

James Philip Blair

BIRTH 12 JAN 1940 • Los Angeles, California, USA

DEATH 9 DEC 2020 • Carmel Valley Village, Monterey, California, USA

My dad’s heritage traces back to England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, with a possible connection to the Cherokee Nation—though that’s a story for another time.

An American celebrating Independence from the very heritage he descends from! His ancestors supported or fled the Crown seeking a better life, so insurrection may be in our blood—or perhaps they arrived to fight for the Crown. Either way, here we are.

My dad believed so strongly in the United States of America that he chose the Fourth of July as his favorite holiday!

He served as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves. He committed to a career in Aviation that took him from North American Aviation to Rockwell’s Space Division, and then to Boeing. He had a SECRET clearance from the Air Force that his family was never aware of until curious men in white short-sleeved shirts and black ties, a pen pinned in their shirt pocket, and a clipboard in hand, walked our neighborhood, knocking on doors. It didn’t faze my dad, but my sisters and I were fascinated. We crawled into the windowsill of our bedroom, watching as they inconspicuously went from door to door. Well, not very inconspicuously in that smart outfit in the middle of a beach-side neighborhood!

My dad loved this country, traveling, and meeting new people. He talked to strangers as if he’d known them forever. He loved his girls, dreamed of a boy, and had a loud, infectious laugh. And he never missed a chance to roll out the grill, light the fire, and get grilling.

Now, if you’re inspired to carry on the tradition, here’s how you can grill your own burgers and make memories this July 4th, just as my dad did every year.

Dad’s Grillin’ Burgers

Makes 4

30 minutes. Prep: 15 minutes. Grilling: 15 minutes.

Kitchen Tools

• Cast Iron Grill

• Cutting Board

• Chef’s Knife

• Tomato Knife

• Mixing Bowl

• Mixing Spoon

Ingredients

• 2lbs. 80% Ground Chuck

• Hamburger Buns

• Green Leaf Lettuce

• Beefsteak Tomatoes

• Sharp Cheddar Cheese

• Red Onion

• Sandwich Pickles

• Pepperoncini, banana, or sliced

• Mayonnaise

• Ketchup

• Mustard

• Kosher Salt

• Pepper

• Oil

Instructions

1. Warm the oven to 350ºF.

2. Prep all ingredients to your liking, except the chuck. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.

3. Add any ingredients you like to your burger. I used what I like, and what my family likes, but feel free to use whatever ingredients make your tastebuds happy. The trick is to prep everything in advance of cooking so that when your burger is done, you’re ready.

4. Slice buns down the middle, then toast in the oven for about 5 minutes. Wrap in foil to keep warm. Tip: I used pretzel buns - it was denser, but it held its shape and didn’t get mushy - but you can also use potato buns, sesame seed buns, or brioche buns.

5. Prepare your sauce. Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 1/3 cup mustard and 1/3 cup ketchup. Adjust to taste with salt, pepper, or pickles. Keep cool until ready to serve your burgers.

6. Oil the grill. I used an indoor grill because it’s 110ºF here today. If you’re lucky enough to be someplace cooler and able to grill outside, oil or onion the grill to clean and prep it for your burgers. Heat the grill to medium-high.

7. If your prepped ingredients are in the fridge, take them out so they warm to room temperature.

8. Remove the ground chuck from the refrigerator. Shape your burgers into rounds and press the center to prevent them from puffing up while cooking. Tip: don’t spend too much time shaping them, less and looser is best for flavor. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each side, then place on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Another tip: don’t tug at them; they’re ready to turn when they let go of the grill. If you’re making cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on the burger after the burger is cooked on one side, and you’ve turned it over. The warmth of that side of the burger will help melt the cheese. When ready, remove the burgers from the grill and let them rest for a couple of minutes.

9. While your burgers are resting, spread the sauce lavishly on the bottom bun. Add greens, onions, tomatoes, burgers, pickles, pepperoncini, and whatever additional ingredients you like, then finish it off with the top bun.

Grab a handful of napkins, sit down, relax, and take a bite into your delicious, juicy, fully decked out, warm and yummy, summer-loving, Independence Day grilled hamburger.

Your burger will be delicious with, well, anything. Corn on the cob, French fries, mac and cheese, cucumber salad, baked beans…I could go on…beer, red wine, lemonade, a Manhattan…see what I mean :)

Cheers! Happy 4th, from my dad to yours!

Dad’s Grillin’ Burgers

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