Charred Bacon Bleu Burger with Kickin Cole Slaw

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

Ingredients

Cole Slaw
3 Cups finely shredded green cabbage
1/4 Cup carrot shavings (shredded in long strands with a vegetable peeler)
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Teaspoons sugar
Salt
Pepper
3 Tablespoons minced cilantro
Franks Red Hot sauce
Patties
½ pound bacon
1 ½ pounds Ground Chuck
1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
3 Cloves of minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon ground peppercorns
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Soft Kaiser Rolls split

 

Instructions

To make the cole slaw, combine the cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, stirring every 4-5 hours. Cilantro and hot sauce are not added until serving. To make the patties, crisp fry the bacon and chop into small pieces. Allow ground chuck to reach room temperature and add cooked bacon along with Worcestershire sauce, garlic and salt. Mix well. Gently form 12 loose thin patties, careful not to compact or compress the meat. Top six of the patties with equal parts of blue cheese crumbles and ground peppercorns and then place one of the remaining patties on the top. Carefully pinch the outside together to form a seal without compressing the entire patty. Place a cast iron skillet into the oven and heat it to 500 degrees. When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range at high heat. Evenly coat the patties with olive oil and place immediately in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook one minute without moving. Carefully flip burger and cook another minute, then place skillet back into oven for two minutes. Flip burger and cook for another two minutes (medium rare). Remove from oven, place burgers on plate and cover loosely with foil to rest. Lightly toast 6 kaiser rolls in toaster oven. Add cilantro to cole slaw and mix well. To assemble the burgers, on each roll bottom, place one burger and an equal portion of the cole slaw. Top slaw with several dashes of hot sauce (to taste), add toll tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.