It’s ok to have a veggie burger once in a while, but if I am going to grill out on a weekend there is nothing like a grilled hunk of beef on the barbie. But I really don’t want all the fat you get from a nice, juicy piece of ground beef. We all know that most of the flavor comes from the fat. Can you get all of the flavor and juiciness without the fat? I believe that you can. Follow this recipe and you are going to get one great, flavorful, juicy burger without the fat!

First, the meat. If you are going to eliminate the fat, you need to get 96% lean, ground sirloin. This is a really lean cut with only 13o calories and 4.5 grams of fat in a 4 oz. serving. But we are going for a really juicy burger, so let’s do a 6 ounce burger, with 195 calories and 6.75 grams of fat. The challenge with this healthy cut of beef is to add flavor. So we will need to do that with seasonings. Mix the ground sirloin with salt, pepper,  and 2 tbsp of  steak sauce. I prefer A-1 steak sauce (30 calories, no fat). Grill this to medium, any more done and its going to be too dry and you will lose the juiciness. Just before you take it off, drop on a slice of Kraft Fat Free Single cheese, adding only another 30 calories. Follow these instructions and you wil have a juicy, flavorful, 6 ounce lean burger.

But the meat is only part of what makes a great burger. The bun is equally important so we need to mount this burger on a great tasting bun. I like to use  a Nature’s Own WhiteWheat Hamburger Bun which has 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. To max out the flavor of the bun, it MUST be toasted. Spray both sides of the bun with PAM butter flavored spray toast until golden brown on your stovetop.

Maximize the flavor with toppings. The healthiest of which are mustard, a big juicy tomato slice, lettuce, raw onion, or any other veggies that you enjoy.  As Jimmy Buffet says, don’t forget a couple of slices of kosher dill. Claussen’s Kosher Dill Sandwich slices fit neatly on the bun and add virtually no calories.

Without the toppings this healthy juicy 6 ounce burger comes in at 360 calories, 7.75 grams of fat, 38 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber. If you are careful with your toppings that is pretty much the whole deal.

Add the healthy beverage of your choice. Like the great Key West Sunset made with Crystal Light that we told you about a few days ago, and you have a kick ass healthy summer cookout meal. Let me know what you think.