Barbecues and dads just seem to go together. So, for Father’s Day month, we had to chat up Michael Symon, the Food Network “Iron Chef” whose growing burger joint, B Spot, now has southeast Michigan locations in Rochester Hills and Royal Oak.
This Cleveland native has made his name on the small screen with his infectious smile and no-excuses style of cooking. Meat is his specialty; grilling his passion.
“I’ve always loved to cook, and for me, cooking on a grill in the great outdoors just can’t be beat,” Symon says. “I also love meat and always have. For as long as I can remember, my favorite meals have always been built around meat.”
Symon believes that parents can convince kids to enjoy cooking (or grilling!) by tapping into their favorite flavors. “My stepson Kyle loves to eat, but wasn’t so interested in learning to cook until I made the process a bit quicker and a bit less complicated for him,” he explains. “He like spicy Asian flavors, so for me, it’s about including the things he loves in recipes, like sriracha.”
Along with sharing his recipes on TV and with his family, Symon wants to feed you, too! Both his Oakland County locales have opened shop in the last year.
Treat dad to dinner at B Spot or make one of Symon’s famous dishes at home, courtesy of his book Carnivore: 120 Recipes for Meat Lovers (Clarkson Potter, 2012).
Fat Doug burger
- 8 ounces ground sirloin
- 8 ounces ground brisket
- 8 ounces ground boneless short rib
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces pastrami, thinly sliced
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 brioche or egg buns, split
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Coleslaw
- 1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
Burger
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high.
- Mix together the ground sirloin, brisket and short rib. Form four patties of roughly equal size, each about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Grill patties until medium rare, three to five minutes per side.
- Divide pastrami into four equal piles. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the pastrami piles for two minutes. Top each pile with a slice of Swiss cheese. When the cheese has melted, after a minute or two, remove the pastrami piles from the pan and set aside.
- Brush the cut sides of the buns with butter and toast on the grill for about two minutes.
- To serve, put a burger on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a pastrami pile with cheese, a few tablespoons of coleslaw and the top bun.
Coleslaw
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving.
B Spot
Its juicy burgers, ranging from the Atomic to the Porky, boast bold toppings. Check out Iron Chef Michael Symon’s two local specialty restaurants.
Rochester Hills: 176 N. Adams Road, 248-218-6001
Royal Oak: 310 S. Main St., 248-268-1621
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
