The Pastrami Burger Bomb

Ingredients

• 20 ounces fresh ground beef, about 20% fat
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 pound pastrami, sliced very thin
• 4 hearty burger buns, toasted
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices swiss cheese
• 1 1/2 cups creamy cole slaw

Directions

1. Shape the beef into 4 equal 5 ounce portions, handling it gently as you press each one into a patty about 4 1/2 inches across. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and chill them until you are ready to cook. While they rest, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and relish in a small bowl, stirring with a spoon until the sauce is smooth. Set it aside.
2. Arrange as much pastrami as will fit in a single layer in a 12-inch non-stick or cast iron skillet or griddle, then set it over medium high heat. Cook the pastrami until the underside is deeply browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn it over and cook the other side until browned, about 45 seconds more. Move it to a plate lined with paper towels. Continue with the rest of the pastrami, laying it right into the hot skillet and using as many batches as needed, probably about 3 batches. Set the pastrami aside.
3. Put the empty skillet back on the heat, leaving the pastrami fat in the pan, and place 2 buns in it with the cut sides facing down. Toast them until they are golden, about 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining buns, then set them aside.
4. Return the pan to the heat. Sprinkle the burger patties generously with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Cook until both sides are nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 degrees for medium rare, about 5 minutes total, turning the burgers and adding the cheese halfway through. As the burgers cook, spread the mayonnaise mixture and cole slaw evenly over the bottom buns. Add the cooked burgers, pile on the crisp pastrami, and finish with the bun tops. Serve right away.