San Francisco Trolley Burgers (With all The Bells & Whistles)

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

12 slices thick Hickory Smoked Bacon
2 1/2 pounds freshly ground beef chuck
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon seasoned salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, divided
5 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, divided
2 tablespoons Colavita Olive Oil
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Oil to brush the grill
6 Sourdough rolls, split
12 ounces Sharp white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons Ketchup
6 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
6 -1/2 inch thick slices of Beefsteak Tomatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

 

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to high heat. In a large skillet (with a heat-proof handle) over the hot grill, cook the bacon in batches until browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. In a large bowl crumble apart the beef. Add the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon drippings (c’mon life is short!), 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoned salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper and 3 tablespoons of the Worcestershire Sauce. Using your hands, gently combine all the ingredients—but do not overwork the meat. Form the meat into 6 equal sized patties; cover and set aside. Wipe out the skillet used to cook the bacon. Heat the 2 tablespoons of Colavita Olive Oil in the skillet over the hot grill. Add the onions and cook just until tender. Stir in the remaining seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce and the balsamic vinegar and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the grill, cover loosely with foil and set aside. Reduce the grill temperature to medium high heat. Lightly brush the grill rack with oil. Place the sourdough rolls on the grill and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove to a work surface. Lightly brush the grill rack again and place the patties on the grill rack. Cook in a closed grill for 4 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the patties and arrange 2 ounces of the cheese on each patty. Close the grill and cook an additional 4-5 minutes for medium doneness. To assemble the burgers, Place 1 tablespoon of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of Grey Poupon Dijon mustard on the bottom half of each toasted roll. Top each with 1/2 cup of the shredded lettuce, 1 tomato slice, and a cooked patty (cheese side up). Evenly divide the onions between each placing on top of the cheese (be sure to scoop up any sauce from the pan). Top each with 2 slices of the cooked bacon and the remaining bun halves. Serve immediately.