Bacon Green Chile Cheeseburger

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

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

I’ve lived in New Mexico for most of my life and enjoy how our local cuisine incorporates green chile into everything from hamburgers to desserts! I wanted to share a recipe that I make at home with green chile because it’s a unique flavor that really compliments the beef, cheese, and bacon in a traditional bacon cheeseburger.

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon
3 fresh, whole Anaheim (or Hatch) green chiles
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium red onion
3 large leaves iceberg lettuce
1 large slicing tomato
½ cup ketchup
1/3 cup yellow mustard
6 flat, pita-style hamburger buns

Instructions:

1. Turn propane gas grill on to low heat. Let preheat for 10 minutes.
2. Place bacon slices on grill. Cook for ten minutes, then flip and cook another five minutes, or until bacon is crispy but still slightly soft. Remove from grill and set on paper towels to drain.
3. Turn grill up to high heat.
4. Cut stems off green chiles and cut each chile lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes.
5. Grill chile pieces, skin side down, for 10-15 minutes. Skin should be dark colored and blistered.
6. Remove chiles from grill and place in glass bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow chiles to rest for 20 minutes.
7. After resting, remove chiles from bowl and peel off the skins with your fingers. Dice peeled green chile strips into ¼-inch pieces.
8. Combine diced chile, ground beef, cheddar cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.
9. Form beef mixture into 6 equal balls, then form balls into thin, wide patties.
10. Slice six ¼-inch slices from the red onion. Place an onion slice onto each beef patty, ensuring that the wider end is touching the meat to help hold the onion together. Form patty around edges of onion to secure onion.
11. Place patties, onion side down, onto hot grill. Grill for 5 minutes, or until onion has clear grill marks but is not burned.
12. Flip hamburgers carefully and grill for 5-10 more minutes. Remove when patty reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
13. Divide ketchup and mustard evenly between the bottoms of the buns. Place one hamburger patty on each bun. Top with a slice of bacon, folded in half.
14. Slice tomato into 12 thin slices. Place two slices tomato and one lettuce leaf atop each patty. 15. Finish each burger with the top of the bun. Enjoy!