You Should Be Using A Brick To Make Burgers. Here's Why

"What's that you say? You want the secret to the most unbelievable gooey-cheesy-extra-crusty-juicy burger ever? All you need is a brick ... house ... JK, you only need the brick," jokes chef and author Guy Fieri in his cookbook "Guy Fieri Family Food" (via CBS News). This recipe kicks things up a notch by changing the look, texture, and taste. As described by Fieri, "It presses the burgers like a panini and crisps the bread while letting all the flavors and juices of the burger and toppings mingle together. Like at a house party. A brick house party."

The point of a panini is that it adds pressure to thoroughly cook your sandwich all the way through without burning the outside or smooching out the insides. The requirement is heat and pressure, as even official panini presses will have mixed results (via L.A. Times). Guy's recipe features ground beef for the burger and creates the "press" effect with aluminum foil, a grill, and a brick.

But there's a little more to it.

While you could use this brick technique on almost any sandwich, you might end up with a flavorless, messy blob if you don't add the right ingredients at the right time. First, you need to grill the burgers until you reach your desired cooking temp and add a little salt and pepper. Set aside the burgers and grab the buns to toast. Add a little garlic butter and heat til crispy. Set aside yet again. Now it's time to assemble your Brick Burger sandwich. Grab a bun and smother it in Donkey Sauce – that's Guy Fieri's proprietary aioli blend (via Delish). You could probably use regular aioli too.

Layer on pickle and onion slices, top with the burger and add some relish. Don't forget to add Swiss cheese, ham slices, and tomato. Top with a bun and wrap in the foil. Set it all on the grill and top with the brick (as balanced as possible). Grill for about 6-7 minutes and remove from heat. 

That's it for cooking, but the taste is what will get you. Just imagine if your Cuban sandwich was crossed with a favorite cheeseburger and then toasted like a grilled cheese. Basically, it's all your summer sandwiches in a single bite.