Heavenly Horseradish-Bacon Burgers

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients

•1/3 cup Mild and Creamy Grey Poupon
•¼ cup sour cream
•3 ½ tablespoons prepared horseradish (not drained), 1 ½ tablespoons for horseradish sauce and 2 tablespoons for patties
•¼ cup Sutter Home California Zinfandel, ½ tablespoon for horseradish sauce and remaining 3 ½ tablespoons for patties
•2 ¼ teaspoons coarse kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon for horseradish sauce and 2 1/8 teaspoons for patties
•1 cup 100% pure maple syrup
•2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 ½ tablespoons fresh ground pepper
•2 pounds fresh ground chuck
•¼ cup mayonnaise
•¼ cup Unsalted Mini Pretzels (about 15 pretzels), crushed
•30 pre-cooked bacon slices
•Vegetable oil, for brushing on grill rack
•12 slices of aged cheddar cheese
•6 poppy seed Kaiser rolls, sliced in half
•12 paper-thin slices red onion
•3 cups watercress

 

Instructions

Directions Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with cover. Place a rimmed nonstick perforated grilling pan on the grill and close grill cover until ready to use. To make the horseradish sauce, place the Mild and Creamy Grey Poupon, sour cream, 1 ½ tablespoons prepared horseradish, ½ tablespoon Sutter Home California Zinfandel and 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt into a small mixing bowl. Combine well, cover and refrigerate until needed. To make the maple glaze, combine the maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper in a small bowl. Place next to the grill with a basting brush for use. To make the patties, combine the ground chuck, horseradish, Sutter Home California Zinfandel, mayonnaise, crushed pretzels and kosher salt in a large bowl. Mix well, but handle the meat as little as possible. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties (make the patties a bit larger than the rolls since the meat will shrink during cooking). Glaze the top sides of all burgers and set aside. Place 15 slices of bacon onto the grilling pan and baste with 2 tablespoons of the maple glaze. Turn bacon constantly so as not to burn and cook until crisp (about 2 to 3 minutes). Remove and set aside on a plate (do not place on paper towels). Repeat with remaining bacon. Once all of the bacon is cooked make 6 individual patty size piles on the plate (because the bacon is now caramelized it is easiest to work with at this point). Take the grilling pan off the grill and clean the grill rack with a wire brush. Using a pair of tongs, take a clean dishcloth and dip it into the vegetable oil; coat the grill rack with the oil to prevent the patties from sticking. Place the patties (glaze side down) onto the grill (offset from the fire to prevent flare-ups) and baste heavily with the maple glaze. Close cover and cook for 2-3 minutes (basting once more with the maple glaze before flipping). Flip the patties and baste with remaining maple glaze. Immediately place one slice of cheese on each, followed by five bacon strips and another slice of cheese. Cook for 1 minute. Place sliced Kaiser Rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill to toast lightly. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Total cooking time for patties should be about 4-6 minutes. To assemble the burgers, spread equal amounts of the horseradish sauce over the cut top-sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a patty, 2 slices of red onion, and ½ cup watercress. Add the roll tops and serve with Sutter Home California Zinfandel. Makes 6 burgers