A Burger Battle Worth Every Bite

A burger battle will erupt in South Florida March 31st, when 30 distinct burgers will compete at The Grind for the coveted Golden Grinder and title. While we don't know who will emerge as the victor or what all the competitors will throw on the grill, we do know that several contestants will offer burgers with a distinctly Latin flavor on their entries.

Here is a look at four tasty Latin-inspired entries:

Chuck Norris Frita

The Frita Man Truck
The Grind Entry: Chuck Norris Frita
https://www.facebook.com/fritaman


One of The Grind Burger Battle entries comes from a food truck. It’s the only food truck permitted to compete, simply because they have burgers that are out of this world. It’s a truck that features Jean Beltran and his son as cartoon characters. Beltran makes Cuban Fritas, otherwise known as a "Cuban hamburger." 

Though Beltran offers a number of fritas, the most popular one and the one being featured at The Grind is his "Chuck Norris Frita." This bad boy is made with Angus beef, chorizo and pork then smothered in a special homemade zesty sauce, and then covered with julienne potatoes. He tops it off with a homemade beer-battered onion ring followed by more zesty sauce. 

How to make a Chuck Norris Frita (8 oz):

70% Angus Beef
20% Chorizo
10% Pork

Mix all together. Add 1/2 of an onion chopped and 3 spoons of Pimenton AKA as Paprika
5 spoonfuls of season bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. of salt
Zesty Sauce – You can get creative with your own version of a zesty sauce


Frita

Cuban Guys
The Grind Entry: Frita
http://www.cubanguys.net

It all came about when two Cuban guys, Jorge Llapur and Isaac Sklar, with a passion for the flavors of their homeland, joined forces in pursuit of the perfect Frita. Although their recipe has a secret ingredient, here’s the gist of what makes their Frita so good. You’ve got to love the simplicity:
The Frita starts with fresh ground beef that is mixed with a house seasoning / spice pack. You can use salt and pepper to taste, or add your favorite flavor pack. Take the meat and hand make them into a patty. Cook on the flat grill with diced onions. Cuban Guys dashes it with a house Frita sauce. When it’s done to your liking, put on a Cuban Roll and pile high with fresh, julienne-cut fries.

Picanha Burger

Giraffas
The Grind Entry: Picanha Burger
http://www.giraffas.com/


This burger has a Brazilian twist. The folks at Giraffas Brazilian Steaks & Burgers Restaurant don’t mess around. Brazilians are famous for their love of beef. Applying centuries-old cutting and grilling techniques from the vaqueiros (Brazilian cowboys), the Giraffas burger is made from the uniquely Brazilian Picanha cut of meat; perfectly combining tender sirloin meat and fat to produce a burger that is juicy and tasty, but not fat. The Picanha Burger is topped with lettuce, tomatoes, an egg (yes, an egg!), ham, bacon, cheddar cheese and Giraffas’ own proprietary Chipotle sauce. 

Toston Burger

Pincho Factory
The Grind Entry: Toston Burger 
http://www.pinchofactory.com/

Pincho Factory’s burger incorporates a Caribbean staple, the plantain, making it a perfect example of a fusion burger.
 
How they make it:

For the patty, we start with a third pound of ground chuck, with a fat ratio of 80/20. We then season it with our signature spice mix. Those at home can really do this to taste with salt, pepper. Adding garlic is optional.
 
Now for the plantains: It's tricky to get plantains big enough to sustain a 1/3 lb. burger patty, so Pincho Factory uses Hawaiian plantains (platanos hawayanos) for the tostones. Their size and thickness works well. After frying the plantains, and cooking the burger to the desired doneness, top off with leafy green lettuce, vine ripened tomatoes and homemade cilantro mayo.


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Tickets to The Grind are tickets available online. In addition to a burger feast of epic proportions, patrons can enjoy a complimentary open bar including Blue Moon craft beer, wine and spirits. For more info and tickets, visit the Grind Miami at www.TheGrindMiami.com or call 305-461-2700.