Apple Jack Burgers

Ingredients

Carmelized Apples-n-Onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Walla Walla Sweet onions, halved and sliced
2 ripe Golden Delicious apples, cored and diced
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch black pepper

Apple-Mayo
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons apple jelly
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
pinch black pepper

Patties
2 pounds ground sirloin
¼ cup apple jelly
¼ cup grated Beecher’s Just Jack cheese (or other premium Monterey Jack cheese)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
2 garlic cloves minced
1 egg lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

vegetable oil for brushing on the grill rack
6 slices of Beechers Just Jack cheese
6 9-grain or whole wheat hamburger buns, split
1 bunch green leaf lettuce, sliced into a chiffonade

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

Warm butter in a nonstick, fire-proof skillet. Stir in sliced Walla Walla sweet onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar; cook, stirring gently, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. When done, remove skillet from the grill and set caramelized apple-n-onion mixture aside in a bowl loosely covered with foil.

To prepare the apple-mayo, in a small mixing bowl use a whisk to combine the mayonnaise, apple jelly, lemon juice, and black pepper until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.

Wash hands with antibacterial soap.

To prepare patties, in a large mixing bowl combine ground sirloin, apple jelly, grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Combine ingredients well while being gentle to the ground sirloin (not crushing it). Form into six equal patties that will fit the buns.

Wash hands with antibacterial soap.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place meat patties on the rack and cover. Grill until the bottom of the patties are browned, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip patties and continue grilling until done, about 5 more minutes for medium. During the final minutes of grilling, top each patty with a slice of Beechers Just Jack cheese. When the burgers are cooked, remove them from the grill, arrange them in a foil pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Place the buns around the outer edges of the grill and toast lightly. Remove when done.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of apple-mayo on the cut side of each bun. On each roll bottom, place a ¼ cup of the chiffonade lettuce, and stack with a cooked patty, cheese side up. On top of the patty, place a large spoonful of the caramelized apple-n-onion mixture, add the top of the bun. Serve and enjoy!