Carnival Cruise Lines: Guy Fieri’s Pig Patty Burger

So, if you’ve cruised on Carnival in the last several years most of you have had the pleasure to experience Guy’s Burgers. Honestly, it’s the FIRST thing we do on a Carnival cruise when we get onboard. I don’t think I have found anyone who doesn’t like these burgers. They are made fresh to order and can include several toppings such as cheese, onion rings, mushrooms, Donkey Sauce, etc. Talk about an amazing hangover cure as well! I know some people (Joe R.) who ate Guy’s 2-3 times a day on our last cruise!

Currently Guy’s Burger Joints are on almost two dozen of the Carnival ships and serve over 100,000 burgers a week, easily, fleet wide. What’s better than having a delicious, juicy, greasy burger and crisp fries poolside, at sea, in port, anywhere! Yes, they have tons of calories, but I believe they are worth every single one. There are 4 different versions of the burger and they all come with a generous portion of hand cut french fries. Plus there is a fixin’s bar with all kinds of toppings from mushrooms to peppers to onions, sauces.

So when the cruise is over and you’re jonesing for a delicious bite of heaven you can now make your own at home. The Pig Patty Burger of course has bacon on it. Of course! This recipe is for 4 people . Yes it seems like a lot of ingredients and work but it’s worth it. You of course can adjust the ingredients if needed. It is a unique burger and worth every bite!

Ingredients for Burger

• 2 heads garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 12 ounces thinly sliced Applewood smoked bacon
• 32 ounces ground beef (80/20 blend)
• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 4 brioche hamburger buns, cut in half
• 1 kosher dill pickle, finely sliced
• 1/2 sweet onion, very finely sliced
• 1 beefsteak tomato, finely sliced
• 1/4 head iceberg lettuce, finely sliced
• 2 ounces Super Melty Cheese (‘SMC’) Sauce (recipe follows)
• Donkey Sauce (recipe follows)

Super Melty Cheese (SMC) Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch grated nutmeg
• 3 ounces grated yellow American cheese

Donkey Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup minced roasted garlic (use a little less if not using pre-prepared roasted garlic as it is stronger in flavor and less subtle than fresh)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 pinches ground black pepper

Instructions:
Roast Garlic: Cut off the top third of the garlic head to expose cloves. Place onto a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold foil to cover then place into oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, discard husks and mash. (If you have a garlic roaster or other means of  doing this that is fine!)

Make Garlic Butter: Mix 1 teaspoon of the roasted garlic with room temperature butter. Season with salt. Set aside in the fridge to slightly firm up.

Make Pig Patties: Set a large pot of cold water over high heat and add the bacon. Bring to a boil and cook until the bacon is very tender and almost falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside to cool. Set a cast-iron or heavy pan over high heat. Divide the bacon into 4 even portions and form into a patty. Place each on the pan. Press down with a foil-covered brick to squash the bacon flat or other heavy pot. Cook until golden and very crispy – about 4 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

Make SMC Sauce: In a medium saucepan, add the butter and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt, then sprinkle with the flour and stir with a whisk. Cook over low heat until the butter and flour combine into a mixture, like wet sand. Once combined, stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the flour (but without adding color). Pour in the milk slowly, whisking to combine. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens up, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the salt, nutmeg and cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use. Yield: 1 cup.

Make Donkey Sauce:  Mix mayonnaise, roasted garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper together until smooth. Yield: about 1 cup.

Make Burgers: Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions (8 ounces each) and form into 4 tight balls. Season all over with salt. Place in pan (which still has some of the bacon fat on it) and allow to brown for 1 minute. Then flatten with a strong, flat metal spatula – press down with a foil-covered brick on top of it, as well. Flatten to approximately 1/3-inch thickness and continue to press down with the spatula as it cooks. Cook until the burgers develop a crust on the first side, 1 1/2 minutes. Flip over and cook on the second side to develop a crust on that side, 1 minute. Add 2 ounces SMC Sauce and top with a slice of cheese. Add a splash of the chicken stock and water mixture to the pan and immediately place a dome lid over the top of the burger to trap the steam. Allow to cook for 1 minute and allow cheese to melt then remove dome and set burger aside. Brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with the garlic butter. Toast the buns in the pan until golden, about 30 seconds on each side.

To assemble: Smear the Donkey Sauce on the cut side of both bun halves. Layer the base with pickle slices and onions. Top with the hamburger patty. Top with a bacon “pig patty” and SMC Sauce.  Top with tomato slices and lettuce. Place the top half of the bun on top.

This recipe is courtesy of Porthole Cruise magazine.