Island–Style Key West Burgers with Caribbean Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Patties:

2 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black Tellicherry peppercorns
1/3 cup minced green onions
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
2 tablespoons Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese

Buns:

6 ciabatta rolls or Kaiser rolls
1 stick unsalted butter, softened

Caribbean Mayonnaise:

1 cup Hellman’s (Best Foods) mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sharwood’s mango ginger chutney (chop any large pieces)
2 teaspoons Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

Toppings:

6 applewood-smoked bacon strips
6 red leaf lettuce leaves
2 California Hass avocados, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced (dip slices in juice from 2 key
limes if not used immediately)
6 thin red onion slices

Instructions

Prepare charcoal grill for medium-hot heat.

For burger patties, in a medium bowl, add ground chuck and break up loosely with a fork. Sprinkle ginger, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, pepper sauce, and Cabernet Sauvignon evenly over meat. Mix together lightly and form into six 3/4-inch-thick patties.

Brush vegetable oil over grill rack or spray with nonstick spray. Grill patties with top closed for 4 minutes; turn, add cheese slice to each patty, and grill 3 to 4 more minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from heat and keep warm.

For buns, during last 2 minutes of grilling patties, brush cut sides of buns with butter and grill until lightly browned. Remove buns and keep warm.

For Caribbean Mayonnaise, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chutney, pepper sauce, cumin, and parsley. Set aside.

In a medium heat-resistant skillet, cook bacon on grill until cooked throughout. Remove bacon, cut slices in half; keep warm.

To serve, place patty on bun bottom and top with lettuce leaf, 2 pieces of bacon, divided avocado slices, and divided red onion. Spread mayonnaise on bun top and place on red onion. Repeat for other burgers.