The best “stuffed” on earth bacon burger

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

When I think of summer; I think of my mother’s trips to Maine in her youth.She described the utter joy she felt when discovering new surprises each day, and remembers the tart yet tantalizing taste of the season’s first blueberry patch. I melded my mother’s love of her Maine excursions with my adoration for burgers to create my best “stuffd” on earth bacon burger.

Ingredients:

1)Burger Patties

1 lb ground chuck

1 lb ground sirloin

1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. coarse sea salt

½ tbsp. cumin

4 tbsps. Vegetable oil (for cooking)

12 slices center cut bacon (apple cured preferred)

2 medium sized yellow onions (2-3 inches in diameter)

2)Stuffing

½ cup of fresh parsley

½ cup of fresh blueberries

¾ cup (6 oz.) of blue cheese (Maytag preferred)

6 slices sharp cheddar cheese

3)Citrus Dijon Mayo

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Dijon mustard

1 large naval orange (zest and juice)

6 whole-wheat Kaiser rolls

1 large beefsteak tomato

6 leaves bib lettuce

1 large beefsteak tomato

Instructions:

1) Make burger patties:

In a large bowl mix ground chuck, ground sirloin, freshly ground pepper, sea salt and cumin until well-incorporated. With hands, mold 12 equally sized burger patties and flatten until about 1/3 inch thick. Set patties aside on a cookie sheet

2) Cook bacon: place 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan and heat to medium high to medium high. Place six strips of bacon in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side. Pour excess bacon grease into a cup and place bacon on paper towel to remove excess grease. Repeat process with second six strips of bacon. When complete allow bacon to continue to drain on paper towel.

3) Cook onions: Thinly slice the medium onions (about 1/8th inch thick) to make small rings. Using the same sauté pan, add a thin layer of preserved bacon grease (about 2 tbsp.) and add onions. Cook on medium high for about 6 minutes, stirring half way through. Onions should become translucent with slight browning. Remove onions from the pan and allow to sit on paper towel to drain any excess grease. When complete, discard all excess bacon grease saved.

4) Make stuffing: Chop ½ cup of fresh parsley. Slice ½ cup of blueberries into halves and mix with bleu cheese in a bowl.

5) Make burgers: evenly divide and place blueberry bleu cheese stuffing mixture on top of six burger patties. Take the non-covered burger patties and place on top of those with the stuffing mixture. Press firmly until about ¾ inch thick making sure to not squeeze out any stuffing. The burger should be slightly thinner on the outside and slightly thicker in the middle.

6) Cooking burgers: Heat a large griddle to medium high and spread remaining 2 tbsps. Of vegetable oil to coat. Cook burgers 5 minutes per side for rare, 6 minutes per side for medium and 7-8 minutes per side for well done. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it is cooked to 165 degrees. When done remove burgers from griddle and remove griddle from heat.

7) Place slices of cheese on each burger and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until cheese slightly melted. When done remove burgers from griddle and remove griddle from heat.

8) Make Citrus Dijon Mayo: Scoop ½ cup of mayonnaise and ½ cup of Dijon mustard into a bowl. Zest ½ large navel orange into the mixture then slice and juice the whole orange into the mixture. Mix all ingredients with a spoon until well-incorporated.

9) Slice Kaiser Rolls and toast insides on griddle reheated to medium high. Toast for about 1 minute to allow the buns to pick up burger flavor.

10) Slice beefsteak tomato into 6 equal sized slices (about ¼ inch thick)

11) Assemble burger: Thinly spread mayo mixture on top and bottom inside of toasted bun. Place burger patty on the bottom portion of the bun. Top with lettuce, 2 slices of bacon each, 1 slice beefsteak tomato and onion mixture. Put on the top portion of bun and enjoy.