Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup sour cherry jam or preserves
dash of Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces ground chuck
4 ounces ground brisket
4 ounces ground short rib beef (if you can't find this, increase the amounts of chuck and brisket by 2 ounces each)
1 piece caul fat, about the size of a large baking sheet (see Note)
2 rib eye bones, cleaned (ask the butcher)
vegetable oil, for frying
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I like to use clarified butter)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves chopped

Method

  1. Using a box grater or the grater of a food processor, grate the potato. Put the grated potato in a bowl and mix with the egg white, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the work surface and scrape the potato mixture into the center. Roll the potato mixture into a cylinder, using the plastic wrap as a guide. Freeze for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours or overnight.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the ketchup with the jam. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl, use your hands to mix together the chuck, brisket, and short rib meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper and form into a 12-ounce patty. Lay the caul fat on the work surface and put the patty in the center. Position the bones next to the meat and wrap it tightly in the caul fat.
  4. Pour the oil into a deep skillet to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil registers 360°F on a deep-frying thermometer.
  5. Unwrap the potato cylinder and cut the frozen mixture into disks, each about 1/2 inch thick.
  6. When the oil is hot, add the still frozen or barely thawed tater tots and fry, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes; do not crowd the pan, and let the oil regain its temperature between batches. Drain the tots on paper towels. Transfer to a bowl and toss the hot tots with salt and the parsley.
  7. In a large skillet (I recommend a cast-iron skillet), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme and then cook the patty for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
  8. Unwrap the patty from the caul fat and remove the bones. Serve with the tater tots and pass the ketchup on the side.

Note

Don't let caul fat scare you. It's lightweight and easy to work with, sold in sheets from high-end butchers and online. It is the fat that surrounds the internal organs of the steer (and other animals). It's also called lace or netting fat because of its webbed pattern. Because it's thin and relatively light, it's often used for sausage casing and to cover pates. Sorry to say, there is no substitute for it—so this is the exception to my rule of supplying alternatives for hard-to-find ingredients.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: So Good

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