Pepper Jack – Stuffed Whiskey Burgers

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

Ingredients

PEPPER JACK STUFFING:
6oz. block Pepper Jack Cheese – shredded
SWEET BOURBON GLAZE:
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's or other Kentucky sour-mash style bourbon
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup light brown sugar – tightly packed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powde
r PATTIES:
1 and 1/2 pounds ground chuck
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
4 seeded hamburger buns, split
4 leaves crisp ice-berg lettuce, trimmed to fit the buns
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

 

Instructions

Perpare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gass grill to medium high. To make the pepper jack stuffing, use a hand grater and shred the 6oz block of pepper jack cheese into a small bowl. To make the sweet bourbon glaze, combine bourbon, worcestershire sauce, light brown sugar, black pepper, and onion powder in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until glaze starts to thicken. Remove from heat. To make the patties, combine the beef, salt, black pepper, cilantro, and mustard in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions, forming thin patties. Place an equal portion of the pepper jack stuffing onto 4 of the patties and pack down. Top each of these with one of the remaining patties to form 4 equal patties to fit the buns. Pinch together edges of each stuffed patty to seal in the cheese, then gently reform the edges of each patty so that they are rounded on the edge and not too thin. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover,and grill until browned on the bottoms, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the patties and continue grilling another 4 minutes. Move patties away from flame to indirect heat (for gas grill, shut off one burner and move patties to "Off" side). Brush top of patties with sweet bourbon glaze and continue cooking until done to preference 3 to 4 more minutes for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. To assemble the burgers, spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise over cut side of bottom half of each roll. On each roll bottom, place one lettuce leaf and a patty, with glazed side up. Add the roll tops and serve. Makes 4 burgers.