Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers

This burger recipe has also been my go to for a decade. The reduction gives the burgers a very rich taste and makes them incredibly moist. I often make the marinade in quantities and freeze it---it keeps very well and it is very convenient to have some on hand to pull out during the week or when you are hosting a last minute BBQ. You don't need to use as much butter.... I also tend to serve mine with a variety of fixings: carmelised vidalia onions; raw red onion slices; tomatoes; marinated mushrooms; crumbled blue or goat cheeses....plus tomato and assorted lettuces....and let people make their own favourite combinations.

• jpfrohling

• London, UK

• 5/25/2020

This has been one of my go-to summer burger recipes for over a decade. They're always a huge hit, no one's ever had anything quite like them. I use the leftover cab reduction to baste red onion that I use as a condiment. I use brioche buns and the only other condiment I add, besides the arugula, is aioli/mayonnaise. I, like previous reviewers, use about $6 bottle of cab from Trader Joe's. This recipe is a winner.

• angryinch22

• Pleasant Ridge, MI

• 8/8/2016

Forgot to give it four stars in my earlier review!

• jlf373

• Doylestown, PA

• 7/10/2014

First time making these burgers and we used two buck Chuck (Trader Joe's cabernet). It was fun to make and not too difficult. We fell in love at first bite. The burgers were juicy and tender. After we finished eating, we gave each other a high-five!

• jlf373

• Doylestown, PA

• 7/10/2014

我跟着这个食谱完全一样。使用一个$6.00 bottle of Trader Joe's Wine. It was exceptional. I totally got great wine flavor from the burger. The rosemary butter was amazing, although I would probably use about half of the butter it called for! I wouldn't change the recipe at all and will be making again! Also, I didn't find it too labor intensive!

• Anonymous

• Henderson, NV

• 6/17/2013

I've been making these burgers for years -- they are a huge hit. I agree there's not a huge Cab flavor -- but the wine flavor is definitely there. Made Cabernet sauce as recommended. However, in the burger meat I also added some additional spices (garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, black pepper, ground fennel seed, oregano) then put in wine sauce. Cooked burgers as recommended in recipe. Also, I toasted the buns and the used brush to put a small amount of the sauce on the buns after they were toasted (not too much it will get mushy). Finally, I top each burger with a Gorgonzola / Butter mixture instead of the cheese and tomatoes called for. Delicious! They are always a hit at a BBQ, or just anytime we want a delicious burger.

• RTurner

• Hermosa Beach

• 8/2/2009

This was a disappointing recipe -- the burgers didn't feature enough of the wine flavor, despite the reduction of an entire bottle of red wine. the lack of other condiments showed the weak characters of the dish. I won't be making these again.

• wtidmarsh

• San Francisco

• 3/22/2009

i made this recipe with ground elk. it was a huge hit. because elk is such a lean meat, i added about 1/4c of olive oil and 1/4 of bread crumbs as binder. did them under the broiler in oven, as it is the middle of winter and really windy with no hope of lighting a bbq! worked great. 4 min each side and they were done medium.

• radicchio

• winterpeg mb

• 2/12/2009

The best summer treat....ever! I've made this a half dozen different ways. Less expensive wine doesn't seem to harm the product at all. However once I did forget the brown sugar, and they did disappoint. So it's vital. Not sure why, since it's a scant two teaspoons, but it is. A must though, in my opinion, is that they be grilled. Done under a broiler, is not the same!

• NoSleepTillBrooklyn

• tucson, az

• 1/24/2009

This is the best burger recipe ever. I think it is so easy to make and the results fantastic. Can't understand why previous reviewers say it is hard/time consuming? You just put the shallots/wine in pan and only have to stir occasionally then add to meat and make patties. Every time I've made for dinner parties (which is a lot!!), people have raved. This is a keeper

• Anonymous

• Landstuhl Germany

• 8/8/2008

I use about 1/3 of the rosemary butter and just lightly spread it on the bread.

• Anonymous

• 6/27/2008

The burgers were moist and juicy, but the Cabernet flavor really didn't come through for us. Not sure I would go to the expense and trouble to make this again.

• Anonymous

• Birmingham, AL

• 7/28/2007

These are a summertime favorite at our house. I usually omit the arugula and substitute romaine lettuce. I have made these many times using regular hamburger or sandwich buns instead of the focaccia, although the focaccia really adds a special touch.

• Anonymous

• Dallas Tx

• 6/17/2007

This recipe is EASY and IMPRESSIVE with a few tweaks: (1) purchase already made sirloin burgers from your butcher (2) make the cab sauce and marinate the burgers in the sauce 3-6 hours (3) add BLEU CHEESE along with the cheddar (St. Augur Bleu is GREAT with this). (4) Reserve a little of the sauce before you marinate the meat and save it to spread on the focaccia prior to serving. I get rave reviews every time I serve these!

• sonyahope

• Boston MA

• 5/28/2007

Tired of limited choices and high prices at the ball park, we looked for an alternative and found the best burger EVER! Juicy, flavorful and easy to prepare. Everyone loved it and we even won the football game!

• stillgaughen

• San Diego, CA

• 1/7/2007