Sweet Heat Burger

Pairs well with:

White Merlot

Imagine sipping a lighter Merlot. This fresh, pale-pink wine is a nice change from traditional red or white wines.

I am from Texas and LOVE the combination of Sweet & Hot dishes.I love cooking with Chipotles because they create a mellow slow burn!

Ingredients:

Sweet Heat Sauce:

½ cup red onion, finely chopped

½ cup honey

1 (6 ounce) package fresh raspberries, rinsed and pat dry

½ cup Sutter Home White Merlot

2 tablespoons Regina Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

4 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

2 chipotles, seeded and finely chopped (I use La Costena canned chipotles in adobo sauce)

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed in ¼ cup water

Burgers:

2 pounds 80/20 hamburger meat

1 cup Sweet Heat Sauce

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon per patty)

1 ½ teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper (1/4 teaspoon per patty)

1 bunch cilantro, rinsed & pat dry, plucked from stems (2 tablespoons of leaves for each hamburger)

6 Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat hamburger buns

Reserve Sweet Heat Sauce

Instructions:

Sweet Heat Sauce:

Place onion, honey, raspberries, wine, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper, salt and chipotles in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Use a hand blender to puree’ into a smooth sauce. Pour cornstarch/water combination into raspberry sauce and bring to a boil to thicken. Remove from heat.

Burgers:

Spray grill surface with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil. Heat gas grill to medium-high.

In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of Sweet Heat Sauce into hamburger meat and mix well. Divide meat mixture into 6 equal parts. Roll meat into balls (about the size of a baseball). Form into patties about ¾ inch thick with a small concave in center of patty so the burger flattens while cooking. Season both sides of each patty with Kosher salt & pepper. Place patties on grill. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until at least 165 degrees in center of patty to ensure they are medium to well-done.

Spread 1 tablespoon of Sweet Heat Sauce on each side of hamburger bun. Place hamburger patty on bottom side of bun. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and top with bun. Sweet Heat Sauce can also be used for dipping if desired.

*Tip: wear protective gloves when handling chipotles and meat mixture to prevent heat from peppers burning your skin.