Bay Area Chef Michael Mina has so many restaurants around the country now that I can hardly keep track of them all. Now, he’s bringing a taste of his Bourbon Pub in Santa Clara to your backyard barbecues with his new line of burger seasonings and relishes sold at Williams-Sonoma.
I had a chance to sample one of the seasonings, the Classic.
Just mix three tablespoons of the seasoning into every pound of ground meat. I tried it with ground bison the first time. A blend of mustard, tomato, onion, black pepper, and malt vinegar, it’s quite flavorful without being overwhelming. The mustard and pepper really come to the forefront, adding piquancy and just a bit of spiciness. It adds a wallop of umami savoriness, making the burgers taste even meatier.
I also tried it on turkey burgers. With poultry so mild tasting, the seasoning really ups the ante, making these taste much more special than they ordinarily would.
A 3-ounce container is $12.95.