Say it with me: CHEESEBURGER LUMPIA!
These hamburger and cheddar-filled rolls are the final pieces to a perfect tailgate! Let me roll these puppies on you; compact, bite-sized, and perfect for a large, hungry crowd.
When I was in high school, I got invited to parties just because my mom, bless her, would always make lumpia to bring with me. My dad would indulge in these golden, perfectly crispy bites with home football parties, and even when I started marching band during school football, mom was there, ready to roll (literally). Needless to say, I wasn’t popular, but that’s another story, and another recipe altogether.
She would roll them all the night before, stuffing them with veggies and ground meat, and then the next day, all she had to do was fry; they were gone ten minutes into any party, and there were always disappointed sighs when they ran out.
What is lumpia?
As a Filipino-America, I get that egg rolls are the top fried tubular Asian treat that pops in your mind, but I’m here to lay down some hard facts, so buckle up, I’m team lumpia all the way.
Lumpia is WAY better than a dang eggroll. Here’s why:
The wrapper. THE WRAPPER. You don’t know how many times I’ve eaten an eggroll, and every time, the wrapper is too thick, super soggy, and greasy. WIth lumpia, the wrapper is this sort of thin crepe situation, with very small holes all over; these allow moisture to escape from the middle. This allows for a crisper little nugget, with room for all fillings you’re looking to roll inside.
Now that I’ve established lumpia dominance, let’s talk about tailgating, entertaining if you will. Do you like watching football? Maybe you’re tailgating at a concert or on a camping trip? If so, make-ahead recipes should be your jam. You should enjoy tailgating first-hand, not toiling away at some makeshift grill for an hour figuring out how to turn the thing on! Here’s the strategy: make these rolls the day before, fry them off before the tailgate, and then enjoy the party, easy as that! More addictive than any regular burger, more fun, and more flavorful! The best part, these guys stay crispy for hours, not that they’ll ever last that long.
Now, let’s talk about the sauce. I LOVE burger king zesty sauce, and I’m not afraid to admit it. IT” S SO GOOD. I wish I could slather it on everything without any health consequences, but unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in yet. Instead, I’ve made a little cheat sauce, special sauce-esque, with some much-needed tang and debauchery. Less sugar less randomly added thickeners, easier to put together ingredients for the rest of us. Let’s party!
Cheeseburger Lumpia
Ingredients
1 lb 80/20 ground beef
¼ lb sharp cheddar cheese
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon salt
1-2 eggs
1 package lumpia wrappers (you can use egg roll wrappers, but I will be silently judging you)
For the sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
½ cup duke’s mayonnaise (Duke’s is hands-down the best mayo!)
1 clove garlic, grated
Suggested Cookware:
All-Clad 8Qt Stock Pot: https://amzn.to/328yKFL
Duxtop Cooktop: https://www.cookeverywhere.com/post/duxtop-1800w-portable-induction-cooktop-countertop-burner
Yield: About 20 lumpia
Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
Directions
To prepare your lumpia filling, finely dice 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Grate the cheddar and transfer to a bowl with the onion, garlic, beef, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
Mix the filling until all the ingredients are well-distributed. Try not to over-mix, or the filling will be a little tough.
Leave the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to let the meat rest.
Make an egg wash by beating 1-2 eggs with a dash of water.
To assemble the lumpia, place one lumpia wrapper on a flat surface with 3 tablespoons of filling off-center. The meat should be in a log-type shape.
Starting with the edge closest to you, take this edge and fold it over the filling firmly.
Bring the two side edges inward, like a burrito or egg roll.
Roll the lumpia away from you until about an inch from a complete roll.
Wet the last inch with egg wash, I just use my fingers to rub it in.
Roll the last bit firmly and you’ve got a lumpia! Repeat until all the filling is rolled up.
Fry on medium-high heat in a tall-sided pot for 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
To make the sauce, mix all the ingredients well until homogenous.
Serve for a crowd or a tailgate in. These rolls are sure to be gone fast, so eat them quick!