Portabello Mushroom Burgers ~ An All Time Fav~!

It is my belief that these burgers trump actual meat burgers!

Of all the recipes I have explored - this is one I keep coming back too~!

I like to make mine with either mozz or gorganzola - I really hunted for a recipe that was up to par after one of my frequented Restaurants (Ruby's Oyster Bar and Bistro) took this wonder off the menu~!

I used the balsamic / oil mixture with chopped garlic clove and maybe a bit of cilantro leaves - removed the stems and marinaded the caps in the mix for about 15-30 min before grilling - I like to pour the mix into the caps as if they were a bowl - seems to work best!

Then grilled to my liking!
When I made this the other night for my girlfriend and a guest - the grill ran out of propane as the second set was going on - so I've experienced them both ways - I prefer a longer grilling to get them well reduced.

I started them bowl facing up to retain the mix as long as possible - then I flipped and brushed the top of each caps with the mix so were well coated. I grilled them anywhere from 10-15 min on each side on medium-low heat - and a few min before I take them off, I put the cheese on.

I flipped them back so they were cap face down again to put the cheese on, the bowl also retains the cheese efficiently and let that melt nice and gooey for the next few mins~!

For Cheese I used two relatively thin slices of polly-o mozz and one slice of buffalo mozz per cap! It was EXCELLENT~!

I also tend to use onions in one fashion or another - the restaurant caramelized shallots, occasionally I will do that or grill onions, adds an awesome flavor!

For me I love to throw the caps in the broiler for the next few mins to brown the cheese and make sure to toast the buns either on the grill or in the broiler as well!

Guests were ecstatic!


Here is the "All Recipes" Version:

Portabello Mushroom Burger

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3. Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.