How to Make the UFO Burger from Korea | Street Food with Senpai

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey reduces fat content while ground pork is often less expensive.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and adds a cheesy flavor.

buns

🥗Healthier: whole grain buns

💰Cheaper: white bread

Whole grain buns provide more fiber and nutrients.

mayonnaise

🥗Healthier: avocado

💰Cheaper: yogurt

Avocado offers healthy fats while yogurt is a lower-cost creamy alternative.

Combine 200 grams of water and 40 grams of bread flour over medium heat to make tangzhong.

In a stand mixer, combine 300 grams of bread flour, 5 grams of milk powder, 5 grams of active dry yeast, 40 grams of sugar, 7 grams of salt, and 130 grams of milk.

Add the cooled tangzhong to the mixer and mix for 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough to release gas bubbles and divide into 140 gram balls.

Oil a sheet tray, position the balls, and flatten them slightly. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Prepare an egg wash by blending 1 egg with a splash of water and brush it onto the buns.

Bake the buns at 400°F for around 15 minutes until golden brown.

For the buldak, combine 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cayenne, 2 tablespoons Korean chili flakes, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste.

Cut 1 pound of boneless chicken thighs into 1.5 to 2-inch chunks and marinate with the sauce overnight (optional).

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over very high heat and add the marinated chicken with chopped green cabbage and salt.

Torch the top of the chicken to caramelize the sugar.

Pickle jalapenos by boiling 1 cup of white vinegar, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt, then pour over 2 cups of jalapenos.

Layer the bun with Kewpie mayo, onions, pickled chilies, and lettuce.

Add a quarter cup of the chilled chicken and shape it into a UFO using a makeshift press.

Trim the edges to create a UFO shape and check the result.

For the cheeseburger UFO, form 2 to 3 ounce patties from 80/20 ground chuck.

Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup ketchup to make the umami sauce.

Sear the patties in a hot pan with salt and pepper, adding American cheese on top and torching it to melt.

Assemble the burger with sauce on the buns, lettuce, the patty, Kewpie mayo, chilies, and onions.

Give the assembled burger a secondary smash in the oven and cut it in half to check the cross-section.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens