Barbacoa Burgers with Roasted Poblano Goat Cheese and Charred Corn Salsa

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

I love Mexican food and this recipe was inspired by one of my favorite Mexican dishes- barbacoa.Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish in which meat is slow cooked over an open fire or in a pit covered with leaves until it is very tender. I decided to make a hamburger incorporating some of the traditional flavors of barbacoa to give it a smoky, slow-cooked taste. The savory burger patties are nicely balanced by the creamy and tangy roasted poblano goat cheese. And the charred corn salsa adds a nice crunch and sweetness. I also top the patties with bacon which complements the smoky flavors of the burger, plus you can’t go wrong with bacon on a burger!

Ingredients:

Roasted Poblano Goat Cheese:
2 medium poblano peppers
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Charred Corn Salsa:
4 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Patties:
2 lbs. ground chuck
8 ounces spicy Mexican chorizo, removed from casing
1/3 cup grated yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons minced, seeded chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

12 slices bacon
Canola oil for brushing grill
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
6 good quality hamburger buns, split

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat.

To make the roasted poblano goat cheese, drizzle the peppers with the canola oil. Place the peppers on the grill rack, and grill, turning occasionally until they are charred on all sides. Remove the peppers, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 20 minutes. Remove the peppers and scrape the skin off with a knife. Remove the stems and seeds and chop the remaining flesh. Add the chopped peppers to a mini food processor along with the goat cheese, lime juice, garlic, and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

To make the charred corn salsa, drizzle the corn with 1 tablespoon of canola oil and grill until it is browned on all sides. Remove the corn and cut off the kernels. Place the corn in a medium bowl and add the red onion, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, honey, cumin, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to combine. Cover and set aside.

To make the patties, combine the ground chuck, chorizo, grated onion, garlic, chipotles in adobo, adobo sauce, and salt in a large bowl. Be careful not to overwork the meat. Form the meat into 6 equal patties making a slight indentation in the center of each one. Cover and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large fireproof skillet on the grill until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside.

Brush the grill rack with canola oil. Place the burger patties on the rack, cover, and cook 4-6 minutes on each side for medium. Place the cheese slices on the patties during the last 2-3 minutes of grilling. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

To assemble the burgers, spread some roasted poblano goat cheese on the cut sides of the top buns. Place a burger patty on each bun bottom and top each patty with 2 slices of bacon. Spoon some charred corn salsa on top of the bacon. Add bun tops and serve.