The Flavor-Packed Meat Combo That Gives Burgers A Juicy Cajun Twist

For something that started out as simply ground beef cooked over a hot flame, the humble hamburger can be all over the place, flavor-wise. Most classically, burgers are often mixed with a little Worcestershire sauce and onion powder, but sometimes they go sweet, like with maple syrup or brown sugar. They could be assembled with unexpected burger toppings like peanut butter, jalapeños, or any number of unique burger condiments, to varying degrees of success. But when you mix ground beef with this Cajun ingredient, most commonly known for its prevalence in gumbo and jambalaya, it's bound to be unfailingly delicious. Next time you cook a burger, mix ground beef and andouille sausage for a taste of Louisiana that's easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser when it comes off the grill.

Blending andouille sausage with ground beef will add an incredible bold smokiness to your burger with a nice kick of spice. Using andouille will make the patty firmer and cook it up tighter than 100 percent ground beef, but the added chew is completely satisfying and doesn't seem out of place with the fiery flavor. One of the biggest mistakes everyone makes when cooking burgers is not seasoning your patties sufficiently, but with andouille sausage and maybe a nice punch of Creole or Cajun seasoning, that won't be a problem here. So, just how do you mix these two meats for the perfect Cajun burger?

Generally the best type of beef for juicier burgers will be something with a higher fat content, but because we're mixing it with a relatively fatty sausage, an 80/20 ground beef will work great here. Simply take out the raw sausage from its casing and mix it together with your ground beef in a bowl. You'll want about a 5:1 ratio of ground beef to sausage meat, but you could even go a little heavier on the sausage.

Try to mix them lightly because the more you mix, the tougher the burgers will be. That said, the texture can still be quite pleasant, even if they turn out more like "sausage burgers." For added flavor, a bit of Worcestershire, Creole or Cajun seasoning, Louisiana hot sauce, and onion powder all work nicely. Depending on how finely ground (or not) your sausage is, you may need to use some beaten egg to help bind it. Diced onion and green pepper (classic Cajun ingredients) will add even more flavor, but will need more binding.

For a slightly more tender burger, you can grind fresh beef chuck meat directly with your andouille in a meat grinder, so the end result won't be quite as chewy as the pre-ground beef and sausage mixed by hand. You can even "grind" them together in the food processor. Make sure your beef chuck is thoroughly chilled, give it a few pulses in the food processor, then add the andouille and pulse until mixed. Now just add your seasonings and you're good to go. Top your burger with all the regular accoutrements, some melted cheese, sauteed onions and peppers, maybe even a little Cajun remoulade to bring it full circle.