Smoky Citrus Beef Burgers with Sweet Brown Sugar Aioli
Ingredients
For Brown Sugar Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt*
For Citrus Glaze:
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 Tablespoons Sutter Home® Gewurztraminer
3 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon orange zest*
For Patties:
2 lbs. Beef ground chuck
3 slices uncooked, smoked bacon, finely-chopped
2 Tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 Tablespoons orange zest*
2 teaspoons coarse salt*
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced into (6) 1/2” rounds
6 Kaiser hamburger rolls, split
1/4 cup butter, softened
*Same ingredients used in more than one part of the recipe
Instructions
To make the Sweet Brown Sugar Aioli, combine mayonnaise, dark brown sugar, minced onion, and salt in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. To make the Citrus Glaze, combine orange juice, wine, honey, and orange zest in a medium bowl. Set aside until ready to use. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the patties, combine the beef, chopped bacon, minced chipotles in adobo, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the rolls. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn patties, brush tops with Citrus Glaze and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Repeat turning the patties and brushing them with glaze, until patties are done to preference (5 to 7 minutes total on each side for medium) and all glaze is used. Carefully remove any seeds from orange slices. Grill the orange slices until hot, about 2 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly. To assemble the burgers, spread butter over the warm, toasted, cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a glazed patty, a grilled orange round, and an equal amount of the aioli. Add the roll tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.