Uptown Blt Burgers

Ingredients

  • Tomato Bacon Jam
  • 12 oz bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 Cup onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1-10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies, divided
  • 1/4 Cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 Cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • 2 large sliced green tomato
  • 1 Cup buttermilk
  • 2/3 Cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 Cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • Burgers
  • 2 Pounds ground chuck
  • 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
  • 6 white or wheat burger buns
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 6 tablespoons mayo
  • 6 slices cooked bacon
  • 1 Cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 Cup chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

  • Tomato Bacon Jam
  • Cook bacon in a large saucepan, over medium heat, until almost crispy. Remove bacon from pan and pour off bacon grease allowing 2 tablespoons to remain in pan. Add onions and saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute longer. Add vinegar to deglaze pan and add can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 Cup tomatoes and green chilies, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon and bacon. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until jam thickens and has a syrupy consistency. Cool to room temperature.
  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • Slice tomato into 1/4 inch slices and place in a shallow bowl. Cover with buttermilk and soak for 1 hour. In another shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, flour and salt. Remove the tomatoes from the buttermilk and dredge in the cornmeal. Fry in a skillet over medium heat
  • until golden brown on both sides. About 3-4 minutes.
  • Burgers
  • Combine ground beef, 1/3 Cup canned drained diced tomatoes and green chilies, salt and seasoning. Form into 6 patties. Heat grill to medium high and spray grill grates with cooking spray. Cook meat over medium heat until desired temperature. About 4 minutes on each side for medium. Brush buns with butter and place buttered side down on outer edge of the grill until crispy and lightly browned
  • To assemble
  • Place 1/4 Cup bacon jam on the bottom half of toasted buns. Top this with the burger patties, then the fried green tomato, bacon slice and a handful of cilantro and parsley.
  • Place 1 tablespoon of mayo on top bun and place this on top. Makes 6 burgers