Ultimate BLT Burgers
Why I Love This Recipe
A Food Network Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
18 Thick cut bacon, Divided
1 1/2 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Molasses
2 tsp Sherry Vinegar
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Radicchio
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 large Tomato
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Garlic Clove
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
2 lbs Preferred Ground Meat
1/4 tsp Tarragon
2 tsp Salt & Pepper
Vegetable Oil
6oz Comte or Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
6 Hamburger Buns
Directions
*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 med-high heat until crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping once; drain on paper towels; repeat with remaining bacon
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 Tbsp 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 Tbsp 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
*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
