Sweet Heat Southern BBQ Bacon Burgers

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) maple flavored baked beans
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, divided
6 tablespoons onion, chopped fine & divided
10 oz Chorizo Mexican sausage, casing removed, crumbled & divided
1 ½ pound ground chuck
½ cup roasted sweet red peppers (from a jar), drained and chopped 2 tablespoons hot pepper jelly
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon BBQ dry seasoning blend
vegetable oil for grill grate
6 slices cheddar cheese
6 slices pepper-jack cheese
6 slices pre-cooked bacon
6 kaiser buns

Instructions

Preheat grill to 350º. In a small grill proof saucepan, combine the baked beans, ¼ cup BBQ sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped onion and 2 oz chorizo sausage. Heat the mixture to bubbly over direct heat on the grill. Simmer mixture for 30 minutes or until chorizo sausage is cooked through, stirring often. Move saucepan to an indirect heat portion of the grill to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, remaining ¼ cup BBQ sauce, remaining ¼ cup onion, remaining ½ pound chorizo, sweet red peppers, hot pepper jelly, honey, salt, black pepper and dry BBQ seasoning. Form meat mixture into 6 patties. Brush grill grate with vegetable oil to keep burgers from sticking. Grill patties over low to medium low direct heat (about 350º on a gas grill.) Grill until desired doneness is achieved, turning once (about 5-7 minutes per side). Place a slice of cheddar and a slice of pepper-jack cheese over each burger, close the grill lid and allow cheese to melt (1-2 minutes); remove burgers from grill and keep warm by covering. Place the bacon and the buns cut side down on the grill and grill until the bacon is warmed and the buns are warmed and lightly toasted (about 2 minutes); remove from grill. Assemble the burgers by placing the burger onto the bottom half of the bun, topping with one slice of bacon broken into 2 pieces, spooning about 2 tablespoons of bean mixture over top of bacon burger and topping with the other half of the bun. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 burgers.