Cheeseburger Casserole

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Who doesn’t love a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger? However, instead of just eating some meat in a bun, why not turn it around and make it into a rich, filling, and nourishing casserole instead?

If you have a little extra time why not try making Homemade Worcestershire Sauce to use in your cheeseburger casserole? You could also learn How to Make Bacon in the Oven rather than buying ready-cooked bacon bits!

Cheeseburger Casserole

The idea of turning the concept of a cheeseburger into a casserole recipe probably sounds pretty strange to most people.

However, when you break down what a cheeseburger is into its base components and really think about it, a cheeseburger is basically just meat, cheese, carbs, and savory flavorings.

Those things all sound pretty good separately, so why can’t you turn it into one big casserole to enjoy as one giant meal?                   

Do You Have To Use Lean Ground Beef?

This recipe calls for the use of lean ground beef, rather than the fattier kinds that you can sometimes find at the supermarket.

For those that understand that fat equals flavor, this might seem a strange idea, but there is a good reason for it.

While fattier beef is definitely tastier, it also has the tendency to leak too much liquid beef fat into the dish, which can leave the whole casserole feeling a bit greasy and heavy.

Instead, this recipe uses whole milk and sour cream to get the necessary fattiness, which mixes in much better and forms a stable emulsion when mixed into a casserole.

Of course, if you want to use fattier meat regardless, perhaps because it is usually a lot cheaper, then just prepare it as you would normally in this recipe, and then drain the excess fat, leaving just a little bit to help flavor and enrich everything.

Don’t throw that fat away, though! Keep it in the fridge covered, and use it for frying eggs, or even spread it on toast and brown under the broiler!

Why You Want Your Sour Cream To Be Room Temperature

One important step in this recipe is to make sure that the dairy used in this recipe, the sour cream, and the milk, come up to room temperature from the fridge.

This might seem like an unnecessary step, but it is actually super vital because it ensures nothing breaks or separates.

When you add a lot of rich, fatty dairy like milk and cheese, there is the possibility of it separating if it heats or cools too quickly compared to the other ingredients surrounding them.

You want everything to be pretty close to room temperature to ensure it mixes in well.

Plus, if you add super cold sour cream, the whole thing will seize up and the cheese won’t get a chance to melt, ruining all of the delicious texture, and no one wants that.

Why It Is Important To Add The Cheese Gradually

Just like how you need to ensure you add the sour cream and milk only when their temperature is as close to room temperature as possible, you should also try to only add your cheese a little bit at a time.

This is because of the fact that, if you add all of your cheese at once, it won’t get the chance to melt consistently.

You want to ensure that your cheese melts completely and it integrates itself all the way through the casserole, as otherwise, you will end up with big, lumpy bits of congealed cheese.

Could You Use Different Cheeses?

Everyone probably reaches for good ol’ cheddar, which is a classic burger cheese, but other cheeses can be great to use as well.

• Blue Cheese

Blue cheese might be a bit too strong for most people, but it can actually add a ton of salty richness that works really nicely in this casserole. Also, blue cheese burgers are almost as popular as regular cheeseburgers anyway.

• Monetary Jack Cheese

Monetary Jack is another great melting cheese and goes great in any kind of burger-themed recipe. The flavors should remind you of diner cheeseburgers, making it a great choice for this recipe.

• Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese is another great melting cheese, but it also has a ton of its own flavor, making it another perfect option for those that like that flavor.

• Sliced Burger Cheese

Every now and then, you just want a simple, regular flavor in your cheeseburgers. Not only does sliced American cheese taste like the classic cheeseburger recipe, but it also melts incredibly well, thanks to all of the sodium citrate, allowing for a ton of ooey, gooey deliciousness.

Looking for more delicious Casseroles recipes? Try these out:

• Doritos Chicken Casserole

• John Wayne Casserole

• Piggybank Pork Casserole

Happy Cooking

Love,

Karlynn

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