For meat lovers embracing the carnivore diet, finding satisfying and flavorful recipes is key. This article explores a variety of carnivore-friendly hamburger recipes, focusing on maximizing taste and nutrition while adhering to the diet's principles. From innovative takes on classic comfort food to convenient meal prep options, these recipes will help you enjoy the essence of meat in its purest form.
The Carnivore Burger: A Meat-Centric Delight
The carnivore burger is the ultimate meat-centric delight, offering a rich, flavorful experience that celebrates the essence of meat without any distractions. Unlike traditional burgers that include toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, the carnivore burger focuses on high-quality meats and animal-based ingredients.
Selecting the Perfect Meat
The foundation of any great burger is the meat, and for a carnivore burger, it's crucial to select the best cuts. Opt for ground beef with a higher fat content, such as an 80/20 mix. The fat ensures a juicy, flavorful burger. You can also get pre-made ground beef patties for this.
Cooking the Perfect Carnivore Burger
- Preheat the Grill or Skillet: Ensure your cooking surface is hot before placing the patties on it.
- Form the Patties: Shape your meat mixture into patties slightly larger than the buns, as they will shrink while cooking.
- Cook to Your Preference: For a juicy burger, cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Adjust the time based on your desired doneness.
- Let Them Rest: After cooking, let the burgers rest for a couple of minutes.
Carnivore Burger with Chaffle "Bun"
A chaffle is a delightful culinary creation that combines the texture and taste of a waffle with the ingredients commonly found in a cheese omelet. The term "chaffle" is a portmanteau of "cheese" and "waffle," aptly describing this low-carb, keto-friendly dish. It's an egg bun.
Making the Chaffle
While the burger is cooking make a chaffle. Mix together 2 eggs and cheese in a bowl. Then pour half of it into a mini dash waffle iron. Place a slice of Colby Jack Cheese on top and let the cheese melt on the burger. I like to cook burgers on my Blackstone griddle while the chaffles are cooking.
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Carnivore "Mac" and Cheese
Who says you can't have macaroni and cheese on a carnivore diet?? In fact, this is a great, quick way to make ground beef a lot more interesting! This is made just a like a traditional stove-top macaroni and cheese sauce recipe, except all of the thickness comes simply from the cheese (most macaroni and cheese sauces include flour), and there's no need for noodles- just your inexpensive, easy to cook, superfood- ground beef!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound of ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar/jack cheese
- Salt
- Pepper (optional)
- Garlic powder (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook your ground beef with a little butter or lard, salt, and pepper and garlic powder if you choose, and set aside.
- Melt the two tablespoons of butter on medium-low heat. I use the same pan as I cooked the ground beef in.
- Add the cream and stir to combine. If you are using the same pan that you cooked your ground beef in, make sure you have turned down the heat and let the pan cool off a bit so that the cream doesn't boil as soon as it hits the pan. If you choose to use pepper, add some at this step too.
- Add the shredded cheese and stir until melted and your sauce is thick and creamy. This should only take a minute or two.
- Combine the ground beef and cheese sauce and stir together. That's it! This is a really quick, easy recipe that can be thrown together within about ten minutes for a quick meal or snack. The proportions do not need to be very exact, so I will make this without measuring out the ingredients sometimes too. I'm sure many types of cheese would work well for this recipe. For a traditional macaroni and cheese taste, use cheddar or a combination of cheddar and jack cheeses. For the dish photographed here, I used a combination of traditional orange sharp and white cheddar.
Carnivore Cheeseburger Pie
Feast your eyes and forks on the carnivore’s dream pie - the audacious, the unapologetic, the utterly scrumptious Carnivore Cheeseburger Pie! Imagine the lovechild of a succulent cheeseburger and a homey pie, all snuggled up in a dish that’s ready to take your taste buds on a joyride through Flavortown. This crustless wonder is redefining pie norms one cheesy, beefy slice at a time. If your diet celebrates the glorious trifecta of meat, eggs, and cheese, then you’re in luck! Call it a ‘protein-packed power start’ or ‘morning meat-up.’ When it tastes this good, any justification will do.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet (in butter or tallow), all the time crumbling, until done.
- Transfer the meat into a 9-inch (23 cm) glass or ceramic pie pan.
- Combine the eggs, water, cheese, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon (or to taste) unrefined sea salt in the bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the mixture over the meat in the pie pan.
- Make sure to spread the cheese evenly on top. It’s the pie’s crowning glory. If desired, you can sprinkle some extra cheese on top.
- Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Bake it in advance and store it in the fridge.
Carnivore Beef and Egg Gratin
This beef and egg gratin is a simple but satisfying meal that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This Carnivore Beef and Egg Gratin is a dish made with ground beef, eggs, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and unrefined sea salt. It’s baked in the oven until the eggs are almost completely set and the top is lightly browned. I prefer to leave the center creamy, i.e., not fully cooked.
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- In a large skillet, brown 1 pound (450 g) ground beef over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream.
- Pour the sauce over the beef like a creamy blanket of meaty goodness.
- Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for 25-30 minutes, or until the eggs are almost completely set and the top is lightly browned.
You can make the gratin ahead of time and reheat it in the oven or microwave before serving. You can freeze the carnivore gratin for up to three months.
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Variations:
- Bacon and Sausage Carnivore Gratin: Use 1/2 cup (120 ml) crumbled cooked bacon and 1 cup (240 ml) cooked sausage instead of ground beef.
- Chicken and Bacon Carnivore Gratin: Use 12 oz (340 g) cooked and shredded chicken breast and 1/2 cup (120 ml) crumbled cooked bacon instead of ground beef.
- Seafood Carnivore Gratin: Use altogether 1 pound (450 g) of cooked and chopped shrimp, crab meat, and scallops instead of ground beef.
- Lamb and Feta Carnivore Gratin: Instead of ground beef, use 1 pound (450 g) lamb meat, cook it until crumbled, and add 1/2 cup (120 ml) crumbled feta cheese. Top with a keto gratin sauce made with eggs, heavy cream, and goat cheese.
- Pork and Chorizo Carnivore Gratin: Use altogether 1 pound (450 g) cooked and crumbled pork meat and cooked and crumbled chorizo sausage instead of ground beef.
- Steak and Blue Cheese Carnivore Gratin: You knew it - a blue cheese variation is coming! Use 12 oz (340 g) cooked and sliced steak and 1/2 cup (120 ml; or to taste) crumbled blue cheese instead of ground beef. Top with a keto gratin sauce made with eggs, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) Gorgonzola cheese.
Other Carnivore Diet Hamburger Recipes
- Carnivore Stroganoff: A hearty dinner and ready in less than 30 minutes! It’s an easy recipe to adapt for your family, whether they are on keto or any other diet. This creamy ground beef recipe is classic comfort food, but now made exclusively from animal-based ingredients.
- Zero-fiber carnivore breakfast muffins: This easy dairy-free breakfast idea is great for meal prep. The process is as easy as combining eggs with browned ground beef, adding a pinch of salt and baking in the oven until done!
- Carnivore Casserole: All you need to do is combine ground beef with eggs, cream, and cream cheese, then bake until done! This is a quick and easy meal made entirely from animal-based ingredients, perfect for a carnivore diet.
- Carnivore Meatballs: Meatballs are a practical, dairy-free and freezer-friendly staple for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe uses all animal-based products as well as ground beef.
Additional Carnivore Diet Tips
- Ground beef is a nutrient-dense insurance against pricey and nutrient-void dinners out.
- Ground beef lends itself fantastically to re-heating! Mix with cream cheese… yum!
- Ground beef isn’t boring, is it? Start dressing up this staple that gets a reputation for being boring and you’ll find yourself reaching for it even if you have ribeye in your freezer!
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