The pastrami burger is a Utah staple, but it originated in California in the 1950s when Jewish locals started adding deli meat to burgers. Chef James Katsanevas served a version in Anaheim in the early ’70s, and a decade later his family opened Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City with a pastrami burger on the menu. It’s topped with Thousand Island dressing, better known in Utah as fry sauce.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 pastrami burgers |
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 slices American cheese
- 12 ounces thinly sliced pastrami
- 4 seeded hamburger buns, split and toasted
- Shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced onions and tomatoes, and Thousand Island dressing, for topping
Instructions
- Form the beef into four 4-inch-wide patties (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick); season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute, then top each burger with a slice of cheese and one-quarter of the pastrami. Cover and cook until the cheese melts and the pastrami is hot, about 2 more minutes for medium.
- Serve the burgers on the buns with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and Thousand Island dressing.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 669 |
| Total Fat | 42 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 47 g |
| Cholesterol | 152 mg |
| Sodium | 1414 mg |
Reviews
We really enjoyed this burger. It’s super fast and easy for a weeknight.
This burger is delicious!!! My whole family loved them!!!