Barbeque Bison Burger with Barbeque Bean Spread and Piccalilli Slaw

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

The Barbeque Bison Burger with Barbeque Bean Spread and Piccalilli Slaw combines a hearty blend of Kansas native ingredients (bison, whole wheat, honey, apples, and sunflower kernels) topped with a bold Kansas City styled barbeque sauce.From the heart of America to your backyard, this handful of a burger is sure to satisfy. Treat yourself and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Patties:
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/3 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pounds ground bison

Barbeque Bean Spread:
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup apple jelly
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh nutmeg
1 15.5 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed, drained well
2 ounces (1/2 cup chopped) good quality honey baked ham

Piccalilli Slaw:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon TABASCO Chipotle Pepper Sauce
3/4 cup finely chopped bottled dilled cauliflower and sweet red pepper, drained on paper towel before chopping
3/4 cup cored, unpeeled, finely chopped Fuji apple
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
3 cups packaged shredded cabbage and carrots
1/2 cup salted sunflower kernels

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 good quality whole wheat buns

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high, or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover.

To make patties, combine onion, the 1/3 cup sunflower kernels, relish, smoked paprika, and salt in a large bowl, mixing well to combine. Combine the bison with the onion mixture, handling as little as possible. Shape into 6 equal patties to fit the buns. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

To make the barbeque bean spread, whisk together the catsup, apple jelly, Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, whole grain Dijon mustard, onion powder, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce. Combine the beans, 2 ounces ham, and remaining barbeque sauce in a food processor and blend until the beans are mashed. (If you do not have a food processor, use a potato masher to mash the beans. Finely chop the ham. Combine sauce, beans, and ham). Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

To make the slaw, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, and TABASCO Chipotle Pepper Sauce in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and red pepper, apple, and green onion tops. Stir to combine. Reserve adding the cabbage and carrots, and sunflower kernels to the dressing mixture until you are ready to assemble the burgers. Cover, refrigerate.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with the vegetable oil. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. Remove buns from the grill and place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 4 to 6 minutes on each side for medium.

To assemble the burgers place equal amounts of the barbeque bean spread on each bun top and bottom. Place a patty on each bun bottom and slather with a generous amount of the remaining 1/2 cup barbeque sauce. Add the cabbage and carrots, and sunflower kernels to the dressing mixture. Toss slaw to coat with dressing. Using a 1/3 cup size ice cream scoop, place a large scoop of slaw on each patty, and then press slaw slightly to cover patty. Add the bun tops and serve.
Makes 6 burgers