Dragging It Through the Garden Chi-town Burger

Ingredients

Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
1/4 cup Sutter Home White Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon juice from jarred sport peppers*
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated sweet onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Accompaniments:
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
6 oz. pepper jack cheese, sliced
6 poppy seed Kaiser rolls, split
12 sport peppers, chopped*
6 tablespoons sweet relish
3/4 teaspoon celery salt
12 kosher dill pickle sandwich slices
1 beefsteak tomato, cut into 6 slices
6 tablespoons yellow mustard

Vegetable oil for brushing grill rack

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat.

To make the patties, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chuck, White Cabernet Sauvignon, Worcestershire sauce, sport pepper juice, garlic, grated onion, salt, pepper and celery salt. Handling the meat as little as possible, mix well. Divide meat mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties slightly larger than the rolls. Place on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Place a large fire-proof skillet on hot grill; add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions and cook until they begin to soften and brown, approximately 7 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat, wrap in foil to keep warm.

Brush the rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill rack, cover, and grill, turning once, until done to preference, 5 – 7 minutes on each side for medium. Top each burger with 1 oz. of cheese about 2 minutes prior to removing from the grill, to allow cheese to melt. At the same time, carefully place all the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of rack to lightly toast.

To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place 1/6 of the cooked onions, 1/6 of the sport peppers, 1 tablespoon relish, a cheese-topped burger, 1/8 teaspoon celery salt, 2 pickle slices, and 1 tomato slice. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on roll top, then place on top of burger. Enjoy!!

Makes 6 burgers.