Tim Love: A meaty burger five months in the making

"It took us forever to make this burger,” he said.

That’s because Love — whose Fort Worth, Texas, restaurants include The Lonesome Dover Western Bistro and a burger joint called The Love Shack — takes his burgers seriously.

"I do have a passion for burgers. I think a cheeseburger is one of those four or five foods that are so simple” it has to be done right, he said.

And he marvels at the versatility of burgers. "It can go from a road stop pick-up-and-go food to being a sit-down-with-a-white-tablecloth thing. Which is what makes it so tremendous,” he said.

For Love, creating a tremendous burger meant not just perfecting the blend and grind of meat, but also seasoning it from the inside out, rather than just on the outside. He even created his own game rub (he’s a big fan of wild game) to do it with, a blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic, rosemary and thyme.

After that, he goes for the classic finish — special sauce, tomatoes, pickles and American cheese.

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GAME RUB

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Makes 1/4 cup

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

3/4 ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 tablespoon dried rosemary

1/4 tablespoon dried thyme

1/4 tablespoon garlic powder

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients.

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LOVE SAUCE

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Makes 1 cup

1/2 fresh Serrano chili

1/4 cup bread and butter pickle chips

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

Splash white vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons game rub spice blend (see recipe above)

In a food processor, combine the chili and pickles. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well mixed. Set aside.

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THE LOVE BURGER

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

10 ounces sirloin steak tips

10 ounces beef brisket, trimmed of fat and cut into small chunks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 hamburger buns

4 slices American cheese

Shredded iceberg lettuce

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Bread and butter pickles

In a food processor, combine the sirloin and brisket. Pulse until ground. Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper, then gently mix. Divide the meat and form into 4 equal patties.

Heat a grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grates.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns, then set aside.

Grill the patties for 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium. During the final minute of grilling, top each burger with a slice of cheese.

To assemble the burgers, top each bun bottom with a burger, lettuce, tomato slices and pickles. Spread a generous amount of Love Sauce over the top half of the bun, then set it over the burger.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 738 calories; 405 calories from fat; 45 g fat (13 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 115 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 47 g protein; 2 g fiber; 2,043 mg sodium.