Bacon ‘n Swiss with a Texas Twist

Pairs well with:

Chenin Blanc

This wine is bursting with crisp, refreshing fruit flavors like apple, pear, and melon, making you want to swing your legs off a dock at sunset.

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
2 Tbls. Smokey Mesquite seasoning
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
8 Tbls. olive oil (brushing the grill)
1 Tbls. Worchestershire sauce
1 egg (large)lightly beaten
1 jar of sliced, pickled jalepeno peppers
12 slices of Maple bacon, thin-sliced, trimmed
6 slices of swiss cheese
6 large whole wheat burger buns, split and buttered
Mayonaise (for buns)
1 medium sized red onion, 6 slices
1 medium sized tomato, 6 slices
1 head of romaine lettuce

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire for both direct and indirect cooking on a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. If using charcoal, arrange the coals so they are under half of the rack, creating two zones – one hot, one medium-hot. If using a gas grill, follow manufacturer's instructions to create zones for both direct and indirect grilling. When the grill is hot, clean it with a wire brush. Do not oil until patties are prepared. Prepare seasoning mix with "Durkee Grill Creation St. Louis Style Smokey Mesquite Seasoning", ground black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper. Prepare the patties by placing ground beef on wax paper and gently mixing with Worcestershire sauce and egg. Divide meat into 6 patties – approxmately 1-1/2 inches thick and 1 inch larger than the diameter of the bun; the meat will shrink slightly; and season with 1/2 of prepared seasoning mix. Pat the top of patties to press seasoning into each patty. Top each patty with 4 chips of pickled jalepeno peppers. Wrap each patty in a "criss-cross" form with 2 stips of the bacon on each patty. Trim about 1 inch of fat off each end of the bacon after wrapping. Stick a toothpick in the top of the patty where the bacon crosses to hold it in place. Using tongs or gloves, dip a paper towel in the olive oil and coat the grill rack. Place the patties on the direct heat side and cook for 7 minutes, then rotate the patties 45 degrees and cook another 7 minutes to create the hash marks and crisp the maple bacon. Flip the patties, season with remaining seasoning mix, and repeat the process by cooking 7 minutes, rotating the patties 45 degrees and cooking an additional 7 minutes. Total cooking time should be about 28 minutes. Move the patties to the mildly hot side of the grill and place a slice of swiss cheese on each patty. Cover the grill until the cheese is slightly melted. Remove the patties and place the buttered buns on the grill to warm and toast for at least one minute. To assemble the burgers – spread Hellman's mayonnaise on both cut sides of the buns. Add a layer of each condiment consisting of the tomato slice, romaine lettuce and red onion followed by the bun tops. Recipe makes 6 burgers.