Easy Hickory Burgers with Bacon-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

Bacon-Avocado Salsa:
9 thick slices of Hickory Smoked Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 California Avocado, seeded, peeled, and chopped into 1/2\” cubes
1 tbsp chopped jalapeño pepper,, seeds and membrane removed
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
2 tbsp of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Patties:
3 lbs ground chuck
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp liquid hickory smoke flavoring
8 tbsp butter, frozen
Buns:
12 tbsp butter, at room temperature
6 – 4″ round cornmeal coated Kaiser hamburger buns, split
1/4 cup Colavita virgin olive oil, for brushing the grill rack
6 – 4″ square Pepper Jack cheese
12 tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
6 romaine lettuce leaves, folded to fit the size of bun

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill, with a cover, to medium-high heat. To prepare the bacon-avocado salsa, in a large mixing bowl, combine the bacon, avocado, jalapeño pepper, onion, tomato, cilantro leaves, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Lightly stir, making sure not to mash the avocado. Cover and set aside until ready to assemble the burgers.
To prepare the patties, place the ground chuck, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and liquid smoke in a large mixing bowl. Grate the frozen butter into the meat mixture. Lightly toss with a fork, trying not to overwork the meat. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions and form the patties 5″ in diameter. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and keep cool until ready to grill.
To prepare the buns, spread 1 tbsp of butter on each cut side of the buns. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to grill.
When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties in the center of the grill rack, cover and cook, turning once, for 4 minutes on each side for medium. During the last 5 minutes of grilling, place the buns, buttered side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. During the last minutes of cooking, place one slice of cheese on each burger. Cover and continue to grill until the cheese melts. Remove burgers and the buns from the grill.
To assemble the burgers, spread 1 tbsp of mustard on each bun bottom and top. On each bottom, place one lettuce leaf, one burger, and an equal portions of bacon avocado salsa. Add the bun tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.