Beef Burgers Oscar

Ingredients

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, divided
1 pound jumbo lumb crab meat, picked clean
2 scallions, chopped
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/3 cup grated yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil for brushing grill rack
good quality cheddar cheese slices
12 slices rustic sourdough bread
6 hot-house tomatoes, sliced
6 leaves red leaf lettuce

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. In a medium-sized bowl, blend together cream cheese, butter, and 1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce. Stir in crab meat and scallions; set aside. In a large bowl, gently combine ground chuck, yellow onion, remaining 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Form 6 patties in the shape of the bread with hands. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on grill, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. With spatula, turn patties over and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until done to preference. During the last few minutes of grilling, place enough cheddar slices to cover top of patties to melt, and place bread slices on outer edges of grill, turning once, to lightly toast both sides. Spread even amounts of crab mixture on six slices of toasted bread. To assemble burgers, layer the remaining bread slices with tomatoes, lettuce, patties; top with crabbed bread slices.