Dixie Fried Pickle Burger with Vidalia Onions and Honey Dijon Aioli

Ingredients

Patties:
3 pounds ground chuck (80% to 20% preferred)
3 teaspoons hot sauce (your choice)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Vidalia Onions:
1 large Vidalia onion, tops and skin removed – sliced in to rings and then halved
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Honey Dijon Aioli:
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing on grill rack
Fried Pickles:
2 cups Vlasic Hamburger Dill Pickle Oval Chips, drained and patted dry
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp hot sauce (your choice)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable or Canola oil
6 Sour Dough Rolls, split
5.2 ounces Boursin Garlic and Fine Herb Gournay Cheese (Crumbled)

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium heat.

To make the patties, form the ground chuck in to six (6) squares – a little larger than the roll size. Do your best to not over handle the patty. Drizzle top side of each patty with hot sauce. Combine salts and pepper in to small bowl. Sprinkle salts and pepper mixture evenly over top side of patty. Loosely cover with foil or wrap and set aside.

To prepare the onions, toss the onions with oil, salt and paprika in a medium bowl. Put the onions in a grill basket and grill. Shake the basket occasionally until onions become translucent in color and soft. Remove from grill, transfer onions to foil sheet, cover and set aside.

To prepare the Aioli, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and honey in small mixing bowl. Cover and set aside, preferably chill if possible.

Scrape the grill with spatula or brush to remove debris. Saturate rolled washcloth or paper towels with oil – using tongs, coat grill racks with oil soaked washcloth. Place patties – unseasoned side down, on grill rack. Cover and let cook for 3 minutes. Rotate patties 90 degrees – cover and cook 2 more minutes. Flip to seasoned side, cover and cook 3 more minutes for medium. Remove patties to a foil sheet, loosely cover each patty with aluminum foil and let rest.

Finally, time for the fried pickles! Arrange pickles (pre-drained and patted dry) on a foil lined baking sheet – set to left side of preparation area. Lightly beat eggs in a shallow dish, add hot sauce, salt and ground red pepper – set to right of pickles in preparation area. Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic salt and pepper in a shallow dish – set to right of eggs in preparation area.

Add oil to a fire proof medium skillet on grill – heat until 375 degrees. Dip pickles in egg mixture, then dredge in flour/cornstarch mixture. Fry coated pickles in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Place split side of buns down on open grill for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.

To assemble the burgers, evenly coat each split side of bun with Aioli – set top bun aside. Distribute equal portions of Vidalia onions on bottom of each bun. Place patty on onions, followed by crumbled Boursin cheese and pickles – evenly distribute. Add the bun tops and serve.