“Wine-Battered Onion Rings, Bacon, & Pickled Cheeseburger”

Pairs well with:

Merlot

Get cozy and get pouring. Our Merlot is the wine for long weekends and lengthy chats.

Ingredients:

Wine Battered Onion Rings

1 1/2 cups Colavita Pure Olive oil, plus some for brushing the grill
1 cup McCormick Golden Dipt Beer Batter Mix*
2/3 cup Sutter Home Merlot wine
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
12 1/4-inch thick onion slices

Patties

2 pounds fresh ground Chuck, 76-24
1 cup finely diced dill pickles
1 cup Hormel Premium Real Crumbled Bacon
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Colavita Pure Olive oil, for brushing the grill
1 1/2 cups Treasure Cave Crumbled Feta cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise
6 fresh baked Kaiser rolls
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
6 (burger size) leaves of fresh Iceberg lettuce
2 large sliced Hass Avocados
6 large thin slices fresh ripe red tomato, lightly salted and peppered

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Place a large cast iron Dutch oven or deep oven proof deep skillet on the grill (or side burner if your grill has one) and add the olive oil to get hot (175 to 180 degrees F) with the lid open. Combine the beer batter mix, wine, garlic powder, onion powder and in a shallow bowl. Whisk until smooth. Dip the onion rings in the batter using a toothpick and place in the oil. Cook about 2-minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat the process if needed.

In a large mixing bowl gently blend together the ground Chuck, pickles, bacon, salt, and pepper. Gently form 6 patties slightly larger than the buns. Prepare the grill with the olive oil. Place the patties on the grill, close the cover, and cook 5-7 minutes on each side or to your preferred doneness. With 2-3 minutes left on the patties cover each with 1/4 cup of cheese.

Spread the butter on the insides of the rolls, place on the grill when you add the cheese to the patties, and toast to a light golden brown. When toasted remove and spread the insides of the buns with the mayonnaise. Place a lettuce leaf on the bun bottoms; add a cheeseburger patty, a tomato slice, the sliced Avocados, two wine-battered onion rings, and the bun top. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe makes 6 burgers. Serve with Sutter Home Merlot.

*Golden Dept should change their packaging to read Beer and/or Wine Batter Mix for Seafood and Vegetables.