The Mississippi Slugburger

INGREDIENTS

• 7 slices potato bread
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
• 6 hamburger buns, split
• ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard, or to taste
• ¼ cup dill pickle slices, or to taste
• 1 pinch chili powder, or to taste (Optional)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the crusts off the bread slices. Place slices on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until dry and toasted, about 45 minutes.
4. Transfer toasted bread to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach coarse crumbs.
5. Place ground chuck, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder into a bowl. Add bread crumbs. Combine with your fingers, breaking apart the meat.
6. Dampen your fingers with water and form mixture into hamburger patties.
7. Heat ¼ to ½ inch vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place a patty into the pan and turn heat down to medium. Cook until well browned and crusty, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining patties, adding more oil if needed.
8. Remove from the pan and serve on hamburger buns with mustard and pickles; sprinkle tops of patties with chili powder and/or cayenne if you like prior to serving.