Pickled Pork Burger with Bavarian Kraut, Caramelized Onions and Red Potatoes

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

I spent some time in the Czech Republic and neighboring countries and enjoyed dishes with pork.Although I did not have a pork burger it gave me inspiration to experiment when I returned to the states. The combination has been so well received it has become our families Saturday night ritual

Ingredients:

Topping:

2 medium red potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons Sutter White Zinfandel

3/4 cup Bavarian sauerkraut – rinsed, squeezed gently

and then measured

Burger:

2 and 1/2 pounds ground pork

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Sutter White Zinfandel

6 slices lean Hickory Smoked bacon

6 thick slices aged Swiss cheese

6 gerkin sweet pickles – sliced thin lengthwise

6 Kaiser rolls

3 tablespoons butter – softened

Instructions:

Potato/Onion Topping:

Preheat the grill to high. In a 2 quart fireproof pan place 2 medium size potatoes. Cover potatoes with water. Boil potatoes until fully cooked. Remove pan and potatoes from the grill; drain water, and cool slightly. Reduce grill heat to medium. In the same pan, melt butter, add onions, Worcestershire, sugar garlic, and wine. Saute until onions are caramelized and crisp tender with reduced liquid. Add sauerkraut and remove pan from the grill. Peel and cut potatoes into small cubes and add them to the kraut/onion mixture. Toss all together gently. Place pan to the side of the grill where it will be kept warm but no longer cooking.

Burgers:

Mix paprika, pepper, salt, and mustard with Zinfandel. When well blended at to pork and gently mix all together. Divide pork mixture into 6 patties. Wrap one piece of bacon around each patty and secure with a toothpick for closure. Repeat for all 6 patties. Place patties on a medium heat grill and slowly grill each side for about 5 minutes – until pork is thoroughly cooked and the bacon is slightly crisp. Set burgers aside to the cool part of the grill.

Split Kaiser rolls and lightly butter insides. Over medium heat toast until lightly brown. Remove from grill.

Place bottom of each roll on a serving plate and top with pieces of gerkin pickles.

Return burgers to a medium part of the grill. Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese and close lid. When cheese has melted place each burger on the burger bottom with pickles. Cover each burger equally with onion/kraut/potato mixture. Place top half of Kaiser roll on top of mixture. Serve 6 burgers immediately while bun is still warm.