Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger with Jalapeno Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

Honey Mustard
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

Bacon
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup

Patties
2 pounds ground chuck
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons diced shallot
2 tablespoons Pinot Noir
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 hamburger buns, split
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 lettuce leaves
6 red onion slices
6 tomato slices

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make the honey mustard, combine the mayonnaise, honey, mustard, and jalapeno in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the bacon, place the bacon in a fire-proof skillet and cook on the grill rack, draining and discarding excess fat, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain well. Brush top side of bacon with maple syrup. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the patties, combine the ground chuck, jalapeno, shallot, pinot noir, salt and pepper. 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 buns.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack and grill until done to preference about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with one cheese slice.
To assemble the burgers, spread the toasted sides of buns with honey mustard. On each bun bottom, place a lettuce leaf, equal portions of onion slices, a tomato slice, a patty, and one slice of bacon, broken into 2 pieces. Add the bun tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.