Barko Burgers

This family recipe comes from my dad’s side of the family, a tasty little creation invented by my dad’s mom, and my grandmother, Virginia Barko. 

My Grandma Barko was a neat lady and I miss her dearly. She was kind hearted, witty and always on the go.  She loved the outdoors and was an avid walker and cross-country skier. I am thrilled to share one of her recipes with you. It gives me the chance to reminisce about her and my grandpap and the fond memories that we created on their lake-front property in Ludington, Michigan. 

Each summer my parents, sisters and I would load up in our 1984 Plymouth Voyager for the cross-country trip from Mississippi to Michigan to escape the sultry summer of the deep-south and visit family. It was on these trips that I learned to love the outdoors like my grandma…boating, fishing or swimming, summer trips to the lake were always fun. We’d play with our cousins, skinny dip with our Aunt Barb and watch our Uncle Bob be, well…Uncle Bob. 

Often, when there was a large group of us around, my grandma would make her famous Barko Burgers. These burgers (or rather, party sandwiches) are super delicious and a clever way to feed a crowd without breaking the bank.  Just one pound of beef and some rolls can easily feed 10-12. This is an easy recipe too, so you won’t spend lots of time preparing food and can get back to what’s most important in life, family.

Barko Burgers have tons of flavor and you’ll see what I mean.  In a large bowl, mix together one pound of ground beef along with ½ cup of finely chopped onion, ½ cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of horseradish, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Grab two packages of Hawaiian sweet rolls and slice the rolls in half. Spread a thin layer of ground beef mixture (about an ⅛ of an inch thick) onto each half roll making sure to cover the top of each roll completely with meat.

Arrange the “burgers” onto two sheet pans and into the top rack of the oven. Broil the burgers, with the oven door cracked open, for 10-12 minutes or until the beef is cooked and the buns are toasted. Halfway through cooking, rotate the pans to ensure even browning. If you’d like to add cheese to the burgers, do so in the last two minutes of broiling or so.  Serve these burgers with pickles, potato chips or French fries and enjoy! This recipe easily serves a crowd.

Print Recipe

Barko Burgers

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 pkgs Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Instructions

• Mix the ground beef and spices in a large bowl.
• Halve two packages of Hawaiian sweet rolls.
• Spread a thin layer of ground beef (about ⅛ of an inch thick) onto each roll half making sure to cover the bread completely.
• Arrange the burgers on two sheet pans and place under the broiler. Broil the burgers (with the oven door cracked open) for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Keep an eye on the burgers to ensure that they do not burn and remove from then oven when the beef is cooked through and the rolls are toasted.
• Serve the burgers with pickles, potato chips or French fries and enjoy! This recipe serves a crowd, so do share with friends.