Chim Chim Chorizo Burger

Pairs well with:

Pinot Noir

Every pour of our Pinot Noir brings you a delicious blend of berry flavors and the romantic aroma of violet.

My big inspiration for this burger are the big, unique flavors of Latin America.I may not be of Latin American descent, but I can make great Latin American food – especially their classic chimichurri sauce. My wife loves it so much that I decided to build a delicious burger with flavors that would both compliment and feature my delicious chimichurri sauce.

Ingredients:

Chimichurri Sauce
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro
• ½ Cup Loose Packed Fresh Basil
• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• Juice of ½ Lemon
• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Patties
• 2 ¼ Pounds Ground Sirloin
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper

Chorizo Bacon
• 2 Tablespoon Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoon Paprika
• 2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Teaspoon Cumin
• 2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 12 Slices Thick Cut Hickory Smoked Bacon

Toppings
• 9 ounces Manchego Cheese (Thick Slices; 1 ½ ounces
per burger)
• 6 Whole Roasted Piquillo Peppers packed in water
(sliced lengthwise and rolled open flat)
• 6 Leaves of Hydroponic Butter Lettuce

Buns
• 6 Ciabatta Buns
• 2 Tablespoon of olive oil for brushing

Instructions:

•Make the Chimichurri
To make Chimichurri: Tear cilantro leaves from stems. Using a food processor, combine fresh garlic, cilantro leaves, and basil. Pulse until finely chopped. Add vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes to food processor and blend. Then slowly drizzle olive oil in while blending to emulsify to a smooth texture. Set aside.

•Make the Burger Patties
To make the patties, combine the ground sirloin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix together well, but be sure to handle the meat as little as possible to prevent it from becoming too compacted and dense. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (6 ounces each) and form into patties leaving a slight indention in the center of patties. Set aside until grilling.

•Preheat the Grill
Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat

•Make the Chorizo Bacon
To make Chorizo Bacon first create the spice rub by combining the black pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, oregano, and chili powder in a small bowl and mix. Lay bacon strips out flat and rub liberally with spice blend on both sides. Cook the bacon in a fire-proof skillet on the grill over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels to remove excess grease. Set aside.

•Cook the Burger Patties
With grill still on medium high heat, place patties on the rack and cook 3 to 5 minutes (depending on your preference cook 3 minutes for rare, 4 minutes for mid-rare, and 5 minutes for medium). Flip the patties over and cook another 3 to 5 minutes depending on your preference. Place 1 ½ ounce slices of Manchego Cheese on each burger patty during last 2 minutes of grilling. Once done remove the patties from the grill, transfer to a plate, and place foil tent over the top to keep warm.

•Toast the Buns
Brush cut side of buns with olive oil and place on the outer edges of the grill rack. Once lightly toasted remove from grill for burger assembly.

•Assemble the Burgers
To assembe the burgers place a burger patty on each bottom bun. Then top the patty with 2 slices of chorizo bacon, 1 piquillo pepper, 1 leaf of butter lettuce, and 2 Tablespoons of Chimichurri. Lastly, place the top bun right on top and you are ready to eat.

• Recipe Makes 6 Burgers