Inside out Bacon Barbecue Blue Cheese Burger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

Barbeque Sauce
1 cup high quality barbecue sauce
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
BURGERS
14 strips of bacon, chopped
2 ½ pounds ground chuck (about 20-23% fat)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
22 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
Canola oil for brushing grill rack
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
6 fresh bakery rolls, preferably sesame seed Kaiser, split
3 cups shredded green leaf lettuce

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire. 1. In a mixing bowl, add the barbeque sauce, honey, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Cover and set aside until you are ready to use. 2. In a heat proof skillet, add the chopped bacon and place on the grill. Cook until well crisped stirring often so the bacon does not burn. Remove to a paper towel to drain. 3. To make the burger patties, combine the beef with the salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the bacon and the cheese. Form into six equal patties to fit the rolls. 4. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill rack. Cook about four to five minutes and turn the patties over. Cook about four to five more minutes for medium. 5. As the burgers finish cooking, spread equal amounts of butter on the tops and bottoms of the rolls. Place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly. Remove rolls to a platter when finished toasting and remove each patty directly onto the bottom of each roll. 6. Top each burger with equal amounts of the barbecue sauce and lettuce. Add the roll tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers