Texas 1015 Burgers

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

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

An eighth generation Texan, I wanted to pay tribute to the ingredients and flavors that remind me of growing up here.This recipe combines my favorites: brisket, smoky chipotle chiles, melted asadero cheese, crispy mesquite bacon and plenty of our famous sweet onions.

Ingredients:

Crispy Smoked Bacon and Onion Mayonnaise:
12 slices thick-cut, mesquite smoked bacon, cut in half crosswise
1 cup finely chopped Texas 1015 onion
1 cup best quality mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt

Grilled Onion Slices:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 Texas 1015 onions, sliced 1/3-inch thick (do not separate into rings)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Patties:
1 pound trimmed, twice-ground beef brisket
1 pound ground chuck
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
Vegetable oil for brushing on patties and grill rack

3 cups shredded Asadero cheese, such as Cacique brand
6 soft hamburger buns, split
6 Bibb lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Place bacon in a large, fire-proof skillet. Place on grill rack and cook bacon on both sides until crisp. Place on paper towels to drain. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon grease from skillet. Add chopped onions and cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove skillet from grill. In a small bowl combine onions, mayonnaise, garlic, paprika and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Brush onion slices with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with sugar, salt and pepper. Grill until onions begin to soften and grill marks appear, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside.

To make patties, gently combine the ground brisket, ground chuck, chipotle chiles, salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Divide into 6 equal portions and form into patties. Brush patties and grill rack with vegetable oil. Sprinkle patties with remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Place the patties on the rack and cook until desired doneness (do not press them!), about 4 minutes on each side for medium. During final 3 minutes of grilling, top patties evenly with cheese to allow to melt and place buns cut side down on the outer edges of the grill rack to lightly toast.

To assemble the burgers, spread onion mayonnaise on cut sides of buns. Place a lettuce leaf then a patty on each bottom half and top evenly with grilled onion slices and bacon. Add bun tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers