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When you get into experimenting with all of the possible fillings for a Hotteok, you have to consider the staple Western Favorites. Our Yummy Cheeseburger Hotteok Recipe takes the classic Cheeseburger and infuses it into a Korean Pancake Street Food.
Served on a bed of shredded lettuce or just on its own, this Hotteok has all of the flavors that we have grown to love. Inside this fried dough of goodness you will find ground beef, choice of cheese, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard. How do you like your cheeseburger? Add a slice of pickle if you like. If you think about it, it is a Build Your Own Burger. In this case, it is Build Your Own Hotteok.
Yummy Cheeseburger Hotteok Recipe
Ingredients
If you have already made one of our Hotteok recipes, this Yummy Cheeseburger Hotteok Recipe will be a breeze for you. Or, if you are experienced with making and cooking with dough, you will find this recipe rather easy.
The Dough
For the dough you will need flour, sugar, Kosher Salt, vegetable oil, warm water and active dry yeast. All of these ingredients can be found at any grocery store. Not sure how the availability of yeast in your area but it is currently not an issue here. If they’re still not showing shelf life at your local store, you may find that your Asian Market is stocked. Now there is a difference between active and instant yeast. The warm water in this recipe is for “activating” the dry yeast. Instant yeast, on the other hand, can be added to the ingredients and have the ability to make the dough rise “instantly”. Read more on the different types of yeast HERE.
If you have never made dough before, this is a great time to give it a shot. You’re reward is worth the learning experience. I recommend watching videos, ask questions or even have someone with experience coach you as you go.
Cheeseburger Filling
This truly is a build your own cheeseburger Hotteok. Your base ingredient is going to be the ground beef. If you are a griller, think about how you season your burgers. You will do the same for this version of your family famous weekend award winner. From here you have two options to go with. Both options are just as good, but one of course will add a little more time.
Browning Method
Season your ground beef. If you don’t have a special seasoning method, a salt and pepper seasoning is safe. Many burger lovers will tell you that less is more, and that the meat should do the talking. We like to keep it simple with salt and pepper. When filling, we like to add fresh, smashed garlic. This gives it a nice garlic edge, with every bite.
In a frying pan, brown your ground beef and drain the oil. Set aside to cool down before filling your Hotteok. With that being said, this can be done well in advanced, even the day before.
Grilling Method
I definitely agree that a burger is a burger when cooked over the open flames of charcoal. Whether you form your own seasoned burgers or season up some premade patties, this is the way to go. Unfortunately, for those who are medium rare lovers, it will be difficult to maintain that temp through two cooking phases. I have yet to try it, but I would also guess that extra blood might run through the dough while frying. In reality, that sounds good but it might make it messy. But hey, cooking is all about. Doing it the way you want it.
After grilling up your patties, set them aside to let them cool to room temperature. When cool, chop them up into pieces for easier wrapping.
The Best of the Rest
Now you are literally at the toppings bar. Of course, in the this case the filling bar. Your only challenge is the limited space within a Hotteok. Be sure you add the cheese and freshly crushed garlic. Ketchup and mustard won’t take up too much space but don’t go heavy because it will spill out when you flatten the dough. Don’t forget a slice of pickle, or two.
Yummy Cheeseburger Hotteok Recipe
Instructions
If this is your first go at a Hotteok recipe, take your time. You will be fine and you are moments away from the ultimate prize. Once you get through the making of the dough, you are home free.
The Dough
Making the dough will take some time. Be sure that you account for this if time is a factor for your treat. In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, sugar and salt in the warm water by mixing. You will know that the yeast is active when you see the bubbling.
Add the flour and mix until your contents are smooth. Believe it or not, you are done. See, it wasn’t that hard. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit, undisturbed for 1 1/2 hours.
The Burgers
While your dough is rising, season and cook up your burgers through your preferred method. Set them aside to cool. While cooling, you can gather or prepare the rest of your choice fillings. With the risk of oil burning, prepare your ingredients on plates or in bowls for easy access. The last thing you want is to get your oil smoking while you are getting a slice of cheese unwrapped. Not to mention, your hands are going to be greased to handle the dough.
Once your burgers are cooled down to room temperature, chop them up and separate the pieces into 8 equal parts.
Back to the Dough
On a baking mat or large cutting board, prepare the surface with flour. You’re going to knead the dough so be sure that you spread enough flour on your surface so that your dough does not stick. This is obviously not a gluten free dish. That is why kneading is needed (smiley emoji). The kneading process is basically pushing the dough down starting with the heal of your hand. Turn the dough and fold. Again, push the dough down starting with the heal of your hand then turn the dough and fold. Repeat for about ten minutes. The better you knead, the better your texture and taste of your pancake. Biggest tips for kneading: stretch and warm up your arm and wear an apron.
Form the dough into a baguette looking shape, about a 1 1/2 foot long. Give the dough about a minute to rest. Cut the dough into 8 equal parts.
Forming and Cooking your Hotteok
Prepare a frying pan with Canola oil and heat at a medium-low heat. You can do this before forming your first Hotteok but you have to be sure to form it before the oil starts to smoke. Best bet is to have someone else turn on the heat when you are ready. Your first Hotteok might take awhile to form and it is best not to rush this.
Have all of your filling ingredients close at hand, to your right. To make the dough easier to work with, grease up your hands. A spray Canola Oil works well with this. Take one of the pieces of dough and flatten it on your nonpreferred hand (left hand if right handed). Place an eighth of your burger meat in the center of the dough. Top your meat with cheese and then the rest of your fillings. Start pinching the dough together to form a ball. Start with edges closer to your wrist and move upward, almost forming a small water balloon.
Into the Frying Pan
Place the dough ball in the frying pan with your newly forms seal side down. Once you see the bottom goldening up, flip it over and press it down with your your Hotteok Press or the back of a sturdy spatula. Press down firmly to replicate the size of a DVD disc. This will help cook the dough thoroughly. Cook each side until golden brown. A little darkening isn’t too bad, just don’t burn it. Your heat is too high if you are having a hard time keeping it from burning. Shake off excess oil and let it cool off on a paper towel.
Repeat process for the remaining pieces of dough. Don’t forget to grease your hands before handling the next piece of dough. When you get faster, you will be able to make the next Hotteok and place it down on the pan before flipping the prior. For now focus on making the next one after removing the one prior, from the frying pan.
Enjoy and feel free to send us pictures of your creations from our Yummy Cheeseburger Hotteok Recipe.
Meokja!
Cheeseburger Hotteok
Equipment
- Hotteok Press
Ingredients
- cooking oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan to fry the hotteok.
Hotteok Dough
- 1 cup warm water warm but not warmer than 180° or the yeast will die
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (1packet is approx 2 tsp)
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 Tbs vegetable oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
Filling
- ½ lbs ground beef
- ½ cup onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Hotteok Dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, sugar, salt and oil. Mix until the yeast is dissolved. The yeast is activated when it starts to bubble.
- Add flour and mix until the dough looks smooth
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1½ hours. It will double in size. Meanwhile, start preparing the filling.
Filling
- Coat the bottom of the pan with oil on medium/heat
- Add onions and sauté, then add ground beef, salt and stir occasionally until fully cooked.
- Once the filling is cooled, add garlic and mix.
Making Hottoek
- Place the dough on a floured surface. Knead the dough.
- Separate the dough into 8 equal balls.
- Add oil to the pan and set on low/medium. heat.
- Oil both hands, take a dough ball and flatten with your hands. Scoop 2 spoonfuls of filling onto the dough and top with cheese. Carefully pinch the dough closed.
- Place the filled dough seam down into the hot oil.
- Allow the bottom (seam side) to cook for 30 seconds or until it is golden brown. Turn it over and press down with the hotteok press or back of a spatula until it is about the size of a CD.
- Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until it is golden brown.
- Flip and cook for another minute or 2.
- Best served hot and enjoy!