Blackened Bleu Merlot Onion Burgers

Ingredients

Carmelized Merlot Onions:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup Sutter Home Merlot
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Blue Cheese Mayonnaise:
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
Burgers: 1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground chuck
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 jar blackened steak seasoning
Oil for brushing grill rack
6 Onion Hamburger rolls, split

Instructions

Preheat grill to high. Make Merlot onions: Melt butter in a medium fire-proof skillet set on grill rack. Add onions, garlic, thyme and salt. Cook for 10 minutes, or until golden, stirring often. Add Merlot, beef broth and brown sugar. Cook an additional 20 minutes over medium-high heat or until mixture is reduced and thickened. Set aside until burgers are ready to be assembled. Prepare blue cheese mayo: Combine mayonnaise, blue cheese and dill in small bowl. Stir until well blended and then refrigerate while burgers are cooking. (Can also be prepared in a blender if you desire a smoother consistency.) Make patties: Combine sirloin, chuck and salt in bowl. Lightly mix ingredients together just until combined. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties. Brush all patties with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with blackened steak seasoning. Flip burgers over and repeat on other side. Cook patties: Brush preheated grill with oil. Place burgers on grill and cover with lid. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove lid and turn burgers over. Replace lid and cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium doneness. While burgers are cooking, place onion rolls, cut side down, on outside edge of grill and cook until lightly toasted. Remove rolls. Assemble burgers: Spread cut side of rolls with blue cheese mayonnaise mixture. Place cooked patties on top of bottom rolls and add a generous portion of the cooked onions to each. Add the onion roll tops and serve.