Oklahoma Sweet Gusher Burgers on Sagebrushed Sourdough

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

If you mention Oklahoma to anyone, they usually think oil gushers and sage-brush dotted prairie land.My Burger is inspired by those two ideas. Oklahoma Sweet is the high-dollar, good oil – it brings slightly more than a pretty penny. This burger, with a well of sweet, oozy, goodness in the center, served on crispy, sage-flavored grilled bread, definitely deserves it’s name. Some top-notch Made in Oklahoma ingredients and basic Oklahoma Style barbecue sandwich toppers add to the perfection. A great local burger, this one should be on the menu of every café and diner in the state and the region. But grilling it up at home on an evening with the nice Oklahoma breeze is much better, and calls for friends and a glass of wine. Oil boom or not, this burger is definitely Oklahoma Sweet.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter, softened

3 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. Head Country Championship Seasoning*

1/3 cup olive oil, divided

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 bunch fresh sage

2 1/2 lbs. ground beef chuck

6 strips pre-cooked bacon, finely chopped

2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon

1/4 cup Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Head Country Barbecue Sauce

6 sourdough rolls, split

6 oz. Hardesty Fiesta Cheese, sliced (Oklahoma Artisan)*

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 very thin slices jumbo sweet onion, separated into rings

1/2 cup hamburger pickle slices

Instructions:

Mix butter, honey, brown sugar, and seasoning. Place on plastic wrap and roll into a 2-inch disk shape. Chill in freezer or ice until firm.

Mix 1/4 cup olive oil with garlic. Place sage bunch leaves-down in the oil mixture and use a spoon to crush into the oil (keep leaves fairly intact). Reserve.

Heat grill to medium-high heat and prepare grill rack with remaining olive oil.

Gently mix beef, bacon, salt, wine, Worcestershire sauce and barbecue sauce. Form into 12 thin patties, about 6 inches round.

Slice butter mixture into 6 slices and place a slice in the center of 6 patties. Top each with a second patty and pinch edges to seal.

Brush cut sides of rolls with the olive oil coated sage bunch.

Place patties on grill and cook until medium doneness, 3-4 minutes per side. Top patties with cheese and lightly grill the cut sides of the rolls last minute of grilling patties.

Spread rolls with mayonnaise and place lettuce on bottom halves. Add a patty and spread a tablespoon of barbecue sauce over cheese. Top with onion rings, pickle slices, and top of roll.

Serve immediately.

Makes 6