Ruby Red Cranberry Burgers with Sweet Onion Marmalade

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3 teaspoons Barbeque Sauce,
4 ounces spreadable cream cheese
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 pounds ground chuck
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon orange zest
Fresh spinach, 1/2 cup chopped and 24 whole leaves
Vegetable oil for brushing on the grill rack
6 (4 1/2 inch)onion buns
12 pre-cooked bacon slices

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat. To make the onion marmalade, combine the sliced onion and 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch, non-stick, fire-proof skillet, cover with a lid and place on the grill rack. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cranberry sauce and barbeque sauce and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. To make the spread, stir together 1 tablespoon of the reserved butter, cream cheese and blue cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside. To make the patties, combine the chuck, salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, dried cranberries, orange zest, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5-7 minutes on each side for medium. Meanwhile, using the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, spread butter on cut sides of the buns. Set aside. During the final minutes of grilling, preheat a rimmed, non-stick grilling pan. Place the bacon slices in the pan and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. After 30 seconds or when the bacon is crisp, remove from the grill. When the patties are cooked, remove from the grill, stacking to keep warm. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly. To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of blue cheese spread over the cut sides of the toasted buns. On each roll bottom, place a patty, an equal portion of the onion marmalade, 4 whole spinach leaves and 2 bacon slices. Add the bun tops and serve.