Maitre d'Hotel Butter Burger With Garlic Confit and Seared Romaine Recipe

Classic maitre d'hotel butter is melted all over these generous hamburger patties, dripping down and coating them in richness and flavor.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated March 28, 2025
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Photographs: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Charring the romaine gives it depth and character that pairs well with the richness of the burger.
  • Garlic confit adds a subtle, sweet funkiness, while the classic compound butter slathers the burger in flavor and richness.

This burger is topped with a steak classic: maitre d'hotel butter, a compound butter flavored with parsley, lemon, and garlic.. As it melts onto the hot patty, it bastes the whole thing in a rich, flavorful sauce. Add to that a layer of butter-soft garlic confit and charred romaine, and you have yourself one heck of an indulgent hamburger.

Recipe Details

Maitre d'Hotel Butter Burger With Garlic Confit and Seared Romaine Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 15 mins
Active 30 mins
Resting Time 5 mins
Total 30 mins
Makes 4 burgers
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds freshly ground beef chuck, preferably about 80 percent lean, formed into 4 (4 1/2 inch wide) patties

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Vegetable oil, for cooking

  • 1 romaine lettuce heart, excess green leafy tops removed and reserved for another use, heart cut lengthwise into quarters

  • 12 cloves Garlic Confit, for serving

  • 4 pats Maitre d'Hotel Butter, for serving

  • 4 brioche buns, split and toasted

Directions

  1. Season patties generously with salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness on a hot grill or in a lightly oiled cast iron skillet on the stovetop, 125°F for medium rare or 135°F for medium. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

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  2. Meanwhile, wipe out skillet, grease very lightly with additional oil if necessary, and set over high heat until oil is smoking. Add romaine quarters, cut side down, and cook until lightly charred. Turn so that the other cut side is down, and repeat until second cut side is lightly charred. Transfer to a work surface.

    20180703-garlic-confit-hotel-butter-burger-vicky-wasik-collage2

  3. Using a knife, cut away most of the core from each romaine quarter.

  4. Spread garlic confit into an even layer on the bottom half of each bun. Top with charred romaine leaves. Set burger patties on top and top each with a pt of hotel butter.

    20180703-garlic-confit-hotel-butter-burger-vicky-wasik-collage4

  5. Close burgers and serve right away.

Special equipment

Grill or cast iron skillet

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
2879Calories
157gFat
142gCarbs
213gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories2879
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 157g201%
Saturated Fat 59g294%
Cholesterol 724mg241%
Sodium 2168mg94%
Total Carbohydrate 142g52%
Dietary Fiber 11g38%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 213g
Vitamin C 23mg113%
Calcium 667mg51%
Iron 30mg166%
Potassium 3611mg77%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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