Blt Cheeseburgers Are Smokin Recipes

BLT BURGER WITH BACON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Form the ground beef into 4 patties, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle both sides of each patty liberally with salt and pepper.
• Heat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet over high heat, adding the canola oil if applicable. Cook the patties for approximately 3 minutes, then flip and top with 1 slice of Cheddar (cover to melt). Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes for medium, or continue cooking to your desired doneness.
• Build the burgers by placing each cooked patty on a slice of toast. Top with the tomatoes, lettuce and Candied Bacon. Smear the top toast slices with the Bacon Mayonnaise and place on top of other ingredients. Serve immediately.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cayenne and cinnamon. Place the bacon slices on a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet tray. Sprinkle each piece with half the sugar/spice mixture. Cook 10 minutes. Flip and sprinkle with the remaining sugar/spice mixture and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and allow to cool.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl. Stir in the bacon and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Will keep for up to 1 day.

BLT BURGERS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain. Cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
• Holding one fourth of beef in your palm, make a depression in beef and add one fourth of bacon to depression. Pull beef over bacon to enclose completely, then flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick patty (4 inches in diameter). Make 3 more patties in same manner with remaining beef and bacon.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
• Season patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill patties, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, 5 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare. (Burgers will continue to cook slightly after being removed from grill.)
• Assemble burgers with buns and accompaniments.

THE ULTIMATE BLT BURGERS WITH HONEY MOLASSES-GLAZED BACON, GRILLED LETTUCE, AND SMOKY TOMATO MAYO

Steps:

• Preheat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Roughly chop 6 of the bacon slices, and add to the grill pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon just barely begins to turn crispy, about for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cooked bacon to a food processor and process for 4 to 5 seconds. Set aside for later use, (in the patties).
• Honey Molasses-Glazed Bacon:
• In a small mixing bowl combine the honey, molasses, vinegar, and cayenne and mix until well combined. Brush the remaining 12 bacon slices on both sides with the honey mixture. Heat a large fireproof nonstick skillet on the grill. Add 1/2 the bacon and cook over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping once. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining bacon.
• To make Grilled Lettuce: Soak the radicchio leaves, for about 10 minutes, in an ice bath to lessen the amount of bitterness. Remove the leaves from the ice bath and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the leaves with 1 tablespoon oil. Put on the grill and cook briefly on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch wide strips. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the sherry vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Add the radicchio and toss to coat.
• Smoky Tomato Mayo: Put the tomato on the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until most of the skin has blackened. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 10 minutes, squeeze the tomato into a strainer to remove the seeds and most of the skin (you can leave a little bit of the burnt skin). Discard the seeds and skin. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tomato, smoked paprika, garlic, and mayonnaise and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Patties: Combine the beef, reserved bacon (that has been chopped in the food processor), tarragon, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties to fit the size of the buns.
• Brush the grill pan with vegetable oil. Arrange the patties in the pan and cook, turning once, just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, top with equal amounts of cheese and put the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill to toast lightly.
• To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the Smoky Tomato Mayo on the cut side of the buns. Top the bun bottoms with 2 slices of Honey Molasses-Glazed Bacon, a cheese-topped patty, and equal amounts of Grilled Lettuce. Cover with the bun tops and serve.