The Bobby Flay Burger

By Jonathan Reynolds

Updated Feb. 1, 2022

The Bobby Flay Burger
Michael Kraus for The New York Times
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(322)
Comments
Read comments

Back in 2003, the chef Bobby Flay gave this recipe for a Cubano-style burger to The Times. “The best burgers are made on an iron surface and cooked medium, so they're not too soft and you can get a crust,” he said at the time. “If you press your burger bun like a Cubano, you get crisp on the outside, soft on the inside.” He adorned the patty with two slices of Swiss, smoked ham and pickles, then slipped the package into the bun and pressed it hard on the grill. The result is amazing.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1pound ground chuck
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4hamburger buns, split
  • ¼cup best-quality mayonnaise
  • ¼cup Dijon mustard
  • 8slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese
  • 4slices thinly sliced smoked ham
  • 2large dill pickles, sliced lengthwise into 8 slices
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

642 calories; 37 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 50 grams protein; 1446 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Form meat into 4 patties. Season with salt and pepper. Cook in a sauté pan on high until medium rare, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

  2. Step 2

    Spread mayo and mustard on each bun. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom of the bun. Top with the meat, a slice of ham, another slice of cheese, 2 sliced pickles and the top of the bun.

  3. Step 3

    Cook until cheese has melted on a heated sandwich press or in a large skillet over high heat with a heated heavy skillet placed on top.

Ratings

4 out of 5
322 user ratings
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Comments

BJ Richardson

This is a great idea. However, I'd be inclined to stick with the classic Cubano recipe and use yellow mustard only - no mayo.

bill olsen

I doubt that this is from Bobby Flay. There are no inedible hot peppers and they aren't cooked on a half-preheated grill.

Jon

Tampa Cubans (versus South FL) add mayo and salami.

Stephen Wood

This burger is a masterpiece. Those slices of ham offset the sourness of the pickles to provide more character than you expect. It's decently proportioned too; I'm really weary of the trend that involves making burgers that are so big that they're hard to manage. This sandwich bucks that trend. It is delightful.

Lisa B

It is, indeed, from Bobby Flay - and I’ve been making these for years. I sometimes substitute pickled jalapeños for the pickles - with delicious results.

Jack Birkin

This is the go to burger for sports. everything seems to click.

Robert Fenerty

Made as written; enjoyed it. Had to cook the burger longer as they were still raw at 2.5 minutes per side. Used Canadian bacon but none of my guests could tell it was in there, probably should have used prosciutto or something thicker/saltier than Canadian bacon.

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