Balsamic Bacon Blue Burger

Ingredients

• Patties:
• 2 Pounds ground beef (80-20%)
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1 Tablespoon grape seed oil
• 2 Teaspoons onion powder
• 2 Teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 egg yolks
• sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
• Balsamic Bacon Jam:
• 1 Pound bacon (chopped)
• 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
• 3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup Sutter Home White Merlot
• 1/4 Cup balsamic glaze
• Blue Cheese Sauce:
• 1/2 Cup heavy cream
• 5 Ounces blue cheese (crumbled)
• 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
• Aioli:
• 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic glaze
• 1 Teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• Other Toppings:
• 6 Brioche buns (halved)
• 1/4 Cup mayonnaise
• 1 red onion (sliced)
• 1 1/2 Cup spinach leaves (washed and stemmed)

Instructions

• Aioli:
• 1. Combine mayonnaise, garlic, balsamic glaze, olive oil, and pepper into a small mixing bowl and mix well
• 2. Place in refrigerator and chill until time to serve
• Bacon Jam:
• 1. Over medium to high heat, cook bacon in a heavy pot, then transfer to a bowl and drain most of the drippings
• 2. Over medium to high heat, saute onion and garlic in the remaining drippings for 5 minutes or until soft and golden brown
• 3. Return cooked bacon to the pot, add brown sugar, White Merlot, and balsamic glaze and cook over medium heat for half an hour, or until thickened to the consistency of jam
• Blue Cheese Sauce:
• 1. In a saucepan, heat heavy cream over medium to high heat until thickened, stirring constantly so the cream does not curdle
• 2. Reduce heat to medium, then add half of blue cheese, stir until melted
• 3. Add Worcestershire and garlic powder
• 4. Reduce heat to low, then add remaining half of blue cheese, do not melt cheese completely
• Patties:
• 1. Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat (no less than 300 degrees)
• 2. In a large bowl, mix by hand ground beef, mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder and egg yolks
• 3. Form into 6 patties and season generously with salt and pepper, then lightly brush with grape seed oil
• 4. Place patties on grill and cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until desired wellness
• 5. Within 2 to 3 minutes before removing from grill, brush melted butter on patties
• 6. Lightly spread mayonnaise on Brioche buns, place cut-side down on grill, then toast for 1 to 2 minutes, or until cut-side gets golden brown
• 7. Remove buns from grill, then spread both halves generously with balsamic aioli
• 8. Place several spinach leaves on the bottom half of the bun, then spread a spoonful of bacon jam on top
• 9. Place patty on top of the bacon jam, then coat with a spoonful of blue cheese sauce
• 10. Top burger with sliced red onion and top half of bun
• 11. Serve immediately with Sutter Home Zinfandel