ULTIMATE BACON BURGER WITH GARLICKY BLUE CHEESE MAYONNAISE AND WINE SAUTEED RED ONIONS

Bacon !, bacon ! bacon !…. and more bacon, who doesn’t love bacon.This burger is for all the bacon lovers out there.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Garlicky Blue Cheese Mayonnaise

1 1/4 cups Mayonnaise
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Tablespoon Sutter Home Zinfandel
2 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Wine Sautéed Red Onions:

2 Tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 large Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel
1 Tablespoon honey

Patties:

2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 pound ground smoked bacon
1/4 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

12 slices smoked bacon

Colavita Extra Virgin Olive oil, for brushing the grill rack and buns.

6 King Hawaiian buns, split

6 pieces Green Leaf lettuce

Instructions:

Directions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a large fireproof skillet on the rack.

To make the Garlicky Blue Cheese Mayonnaise, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, heavy cream, sour cream, Zinfandel, garlic, salt and ground pepper until smooth. Next, gently stir in the crumbled blue cheese. Set aside in a refrigerator.

To prepare the Wine Sautéed Red Onions, heat the oil in a large fireproof skillet on the grill over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the Zinfandel and honey and bring to a boil, stirring frequently . Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone, stir frequently. Remove and set aside.

Place large iron skillet on the rack to preheat for the bacon.

To cook the bacon, Place the bacon in the preheated iron skillet. Cook the bacon until crisp about 5 to 7 minutes a side. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towels. Cover the bacon with aluminum foil and keep warm. Remove the skillet from the grill.

To prepare the patties, In a large bowl, place the beef, ground bacon, Zinfandel, garlic, salt and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Gently mix together using a large spoon. Form into 6 patties with a dimple in the center of each patty and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the grill, cover and cook for 5
minutes. Turn the patties, cover and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. During the last 2 to 3 minutes of grilling the patties, brush the buns with olive oil and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack and toast lightly to golden brown.

To assemble the burger, slather the bottom toasted side of the buns with some of the Garlicky Blue Cheese Mayonnaise. Place one leaf of Green Lettuce on each bottom bun and add the patty. On top of each patty place dollop of Wine Sautéed Red Onions, 2 slices of bacon and a large dollop of the Garlicky Blue Cheese Mayonnaise in that order. Add the toasted bun top with wooden skewers and serve immediately.

Makes 6 burgers.

NOTE: Have your butcher ground 1/2 pound of bacon as the same size as the ground chuck.