Baseball Park Burgers

6 servings Prep: 5 m Cook: 45 m Total: 50 m Beginner
I ate these butter-soaked BBQ burgers this weekend at Holly Beach and it reminded me of being at the Vermilion Parish baseball parks playing softball and watching my brother pitch. Mom told me the secret to their burgers is the extra butter that’s added and the Evangeline Maid buns. These burgers, like all other burgers, go great with beer!

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 jar Jack Miller's bbq sauce
  • 1 package ground turkey or beef hamburger patties
  • 1 package Evangeline Maid hamburger buns
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Add one stick of butter and the jar of Jack Miller’s bbq sauce to a rice cooker or crock pot and turn on high.
  2. Season the defrosted patties with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Brown the burgers in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  3. Once the patties are cooked through, place them in the rice cooker making sure to submerge each patty in the butter-bbq sauce.
  4. Let the burgers simmer in the sauce for at least 30 minutes, then serve on top of Evangeline Maid hamburger buns. MMM, baw!

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Can I make these without a rice cooker or crock pot?

A: Yes! Use a slow cooker on low, or keep them warm in a covered pot on the stovetop over very low heat. The key is keeping the burgers submerged in the warm butter-BBQ sauce.

Q: Do I have to brown the burgers first?

A: Yes, browning the patties first adds flavor and ensures they're fully cooked before going into the sauce. Don't skip this step.

Tips and Techniques

The longer the burgers sit in the butter-BBQ sauce, the more flavorful they become. These are perfect for tailgating or game day because you can make them ahead and keep them warm for hours.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • ground beef patties: ground turkey patties
  • Jack Miller's bbq sauce: your favorite Louisiana-style BBQ sauce
  • Evangeline Maid buns: any soft hamburger buns

Equipment Needed

  • rice cooker or slow cooker
  • skillet for browning burgers

Historical Context

This recipe captures the flavor of concession stand burgers served at small-town Louisiana baseball parks, where keeping burgers warm and juicy for hours required creative solutions like the butter-sauce bath.