Steakhouse Onion Burgers with Peppercorn Medley Crème Fraiche

Ingredients

Crème Fraiche:
1/2 cup Sutter Home Pinot Grigio
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons crushed peppercorn medley (such as McCormick Peppercorn Medley Grinder)
1 cup beef broth
1 1/2 cups crème fraiche
2 teaspoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

Marinade:
1/2 cup Sutter Home Pinot Grigio
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Colavita olive oil
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 1/2 inch thick “planks” of red onion*
2 1/2 pounds freshly ground beef sirloin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Colavita Olive Oil to brush the grill rack
6 Kaiser rolls, split

 

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat.

To make the Crème Fraiche, bring 1/2 cup Sutter Home Pinot Grigio, minced shallot and peppercorns to a boil in a saucepan over the preheated grill. Stir in the beef broth and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from the grill and pour into a medium sized bowl. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the crème fraiche and the 2 teaspoons of Grey Poupon Dijon mustard. Cover and place in a cooler or fridge until ready to use.

To make the marinade, in a large bowl whisk together, the 1/2 cup Sutter Home Pinot Grigio, brown sugar, the minced garlic, minced ginger, Worcestershire sauce, Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard, Colavita olive oil, hot pepper sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt; whisk until well blended. Remove 3/4 of a cup of the marinade and place in a large Ziploc bag. Add the onion, close bag and let the onions marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally.

To make the patties, crumble the ground sirloin into the bowl with the remaining marinade. Add the 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Gently blend the marinade into the meat, being careful not to overwork the meat. Form the mixture into 6 equal sized patties, shaped to fit the rolls.

Lightly brush the hot grill rack with oil. Carefully remove the onions from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and place onions on the grill rack. Grill the onions about 5 minutes per side or until tender. Remove from grill and cover loosely with foil. Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil over the hot grill. Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until reduced by half and slightly thickened; set aside.

Brush grill lightly again with oil and place the rolls cut side down on the grill. Grill until lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes. Remove to work surface. Arrange patties on the grill, close grill and cook for 4 minutes. Flip patties with a spatula, close grill and cook for an additional 4 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.

To assemble burgers, spoon a portion of the peppercorn medley crème fraiche on the bottom half of each toasted roll, evenly dividing. Top the crème fraiche on each with a patty and then a grilled onion “plank”. Drizzle each with the reduced marinade and top with the remaining bun halves; serve immediately.

Yield: 6 burgers