The Southern Gentleman

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons Jim Beam Bourbon
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 medium fennel bulbs, tops removed, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large red bell pepper, julienned
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup shelled Georgia Pecan halves
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled, quartered lenghtwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive oil for the grill rack and buns
6 Kaiser rolls, split

 

Instructions

Combine the ground chuck, minced garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Handling as little as possible mix just until combined, divide the mix into 6 equal portions and form into 6 patties. Loosely cover and set aside. Add the butter, brown sugar, bourbon and whole grain mustard to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Remove the butter mixture to a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a log and refrigerate. Add the fennel, lemon juice, mayonnaise, red bell papper to a large bowl. Toss to coat. Fold in the mint, cover and refrigerate. Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a large cast iron skillet on the hot grill. When the skillet is hot, add the pecan halves and toast until aromatic, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove the pecans from the pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons oil and the sweet potato to the pan. Saute until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the apple and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Toss the pecans with the sweet potato apple mixture, season with salt and pepper, keep warm. Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the patties over, cover and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes or until done to your liking. Brush the cut sides of the buns with oil and grill until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. To assemble the burger: divide the fennel slaw evenly on the 6 roll bottoms, add 1 pattie to each. Cut the bourbon butter into 6 pats and add one pat to each burger. Top with sweet potato apple pecan relish, the bun top and serve warm.