Greek Bifteki with Tzaziki

Bifteki is a fancy hamburger. Tzaziki is a yogurt-based sauce with dill and garlic, a refreshing change from any other burger condiment.

I had this dish at a nearby Greek restaurant, and it was so good, I thought I’d make it on the grill. And, as expected, it is even better with the smoke flavor mixed in.

Serves 4 to 8

Method

Direct grilling. Set up the grill to high, 500 degrees. A two-zone fire would be a good idea to manage flare-ups.

For the Tzaziki

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1 cup Greek yogurt, strained (plain yogurt may be used)

1 cup sour cream

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Making the Tzazik

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Add the yogurt and sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Put in fridge for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving.

For the Bifteki

2 slices of white bread, crusts removed and made into crumbs

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1 small onion, diced finely

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp mint

1 tsp salt (to taste)

2 eggs, beaten

2 cloves garlic

Black pepper

Feta cheese (8 oz container is fine)

Instructions for the Meat

Put all the ingredients except feta cheese into a mixing bowl and blend with your hands, just like making meatloaf. . .

Let the mixture marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes. I use this time to setup and ignite the grill.

Divide the mixture into 4 parts, and roll and shape them into a pillow-shape, about a half-inch think.

Add the feta cheese into each patty, and fold over, sealing the edges.

Direct grill on high heat to sear the meat. Turn over when the first side is done. (Just like burgers, the juices will flow and the tops will be warm/hot to the touch. Flip over carefully to grill the other side. Be careful, the patties can break easily.

Cook to a safe internal temperature of about 170 degrees.

Notes

This is an adaptation of several recipes on the Internet, I chose the best-tasting ingredients and amounts to my taste. Feel free to experiment.