Apple Jalapeno Burgers

There are many flavors in this burger.The combination of sweet, sour and spice with the crisp apples and salty bacon come together to produce a complex burger.

Ingredients:

Patties
2 1/4 pounds ground chuck (80% lean/20% fat)
2 teaspoons TABASCO® Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Apple Jalapeno Glaze
1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped apple
1/4 cup chopped fresh seeded jalapenos
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tablespoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 six-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Apple Salsa
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups diced apple
1 cup NatureSweet® cherry tomatoes; quartered
1/3 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 California avocados; peeled and diced
1 fresh jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
1 lime

Vegetable oil to brush grill
6 high-quality un-seeded hamburger buns, split
12 slices Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to high.

To make patties mix ground beef with pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Mix together, handling as little as possible, avoiding over compaction of the mixture. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties sized to fit the buns being used, make a depression in the center of each, cover, and refrigerate until ready to grill. Return to room temperature when ready to grill.

For glaze pour vinegar into a heavy 2 quart sauce pan. To vinegar add apple with jalapenos, onion, chipotles, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes until apple and peppers are tender. Remove from heat and using a hand blender puree until smooth. Return to heat and add tomato sauce mixing until incorporated. Stir in molasses, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook an additional 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Remove half for dressing buns and use remaining for brushing onto patties.

Salsa is prepared first by frying bacon in skillet on grill until crispy. Cool, crumble and mix with apple, tomato, onion, cilantro, avocado and jalapeno. Squeeze lime over salsa and mix. Set aside until burgers are ready.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the room temperature patties on the rack and grill 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium (150-155 degrees in the center) or until the desired doneness is reached. Brush both sides of the burger with the glaze during grilling. Toast buns cut side on grill. Place two slices of cheese on each of the patties, allow cheese to melt, and then remove patties from grill.

To assemble burgers place a patty on each bun bottom. Top with salsa. Place on top bun dressed with glaze and serve.

Serves 6