Maple bacon burger recipe
After months of prowling around Craigslist and OfferUp for a new propane grill, we finally got lucky with a higher-end model in great condition that was being offered at just a fraction of the original price. The owner had to move suddenly and we just had to transport it back to our house. Lucky, I thought. Our previous grill, may it rust in pieces, had been possessed by the evil Norse god Loki and had to be destroyed for the sake all mankind. It’s no a big deal, but the third Thor installment may or may not be loosely based on my epic struggle with that cursed and wicked thing.
We had been planning on cooking up our version of this maple bacon burger for some time but the whole Loki-possessed grill had made it all but impossible. So when we finally came across a great deal on a grill we jumped on it. With maple bacon calling, I set out on the first available day to make the pick up the new grill. Naturally, I picked one of the hottest days on record to disassemble, load, re-assemble, unload and finally clean the grill — and all of its stubborn myriad components — in the full-on Texas summer sun. Think the movie Sunshine but with a ratchet (and no spaceship). It’s tricky putting blazing metal together when every tool you touch can set your lawn on fire. But again, a bargain at a mere fraction of the original price. Yes, sir. Mercifully, once assembled, the new grill worked flawlessly and appears to be free of evil gods who loathe even my smallest grilling happiness.
For most burgers we use a slightly modified version of Alton Brown’s tried and true Burger of the Gods recipe. We skipped the cast-iron skillet this time around to break in our new grill with those long-awaited maple bacon burgers. The grill did a terrific job, and cooked up some truly unforgettable burgers. Caramelized onions mixed with Dijon, smokey Gruyére cheese and sweet, sweet maple bacon are meant to be sandwiched together with freshly-ground beef patties and fluffy kaiser rolls. Also don’t make a rookie mistake and use store brand buns on a burger like this or you might anger the gods. They seem to care a lot about weird things like that, believe me I know.
Image: ForkingSpoon
Maple bacon burger recipe
Caramelized onions mixed with Dijon, smokey Gruyére cheese and sweet, sweet maple bacon are meant to be sandwiched together with freshly-ground beef patties and fluffy kaiser rolls.
Ingredients
Instructions
Cook the maple-glazed bacon
Lay out 8 slices of thick-cut bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the bacon slices in the oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees F. When the oven reaches temperature, remove the bacon to a trivet and brush on 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Return the bacon to the oven to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until the bacon has reached the desired level of crispiness and the maple syrup has formed a glaze.
Caramelize the onions in beer and maple syrup
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and mix together with the olive oil. Cook the onions until they have become soft and aromatic (about 7 minutes). Reduce the heat and mix in the beer and whole grain mustard and simmer for 45 minutes, adding additional beer or water if needed. Stir in the maple syrup and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Assemble the burgers
On a grill or skillet over medium to high heat, melt the Gruyére and bacon on top of each burger. While the cheese is melting, toast each half of the buns on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes (spread butter or margarine on the buns if you prefer). Place a generous amount of the caramelized onions on the bottom halves of each hamburger bun, top with the burger and the remaining top half of the bun.
Notes
If you can't find Gruyère cheese at your local supermarket, you almost certainly won't be able to find its best substitutes, Compte or Beaufort either. Though the textures are little different, your next best option would be to look for Swiss cheeses like Emmental or Appenzell or even Jarlsberg cheese from Norway.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the maple-glazed bacon
Lay out 8 slices of thick-cut bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the bacon slices in the oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees F. When the oven reaches temperature, remove the bacon to a trivet and brush on 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Return the bacon to the oven to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until the bacon has reached the desired level of crispiness and the maple syrup has formed a glaze.
Caramelize the onions in beer and maple syrup
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and mix together with the olive oil. Cook the onions until they have become soft and aromatic (about 7 minutes). Reduce the heat and mix in the beer and whole grain mustard and simmer for 45 minutes, adding additional beer or water if needed. Stir in the maple syrup and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Assemble the burgers
On a grill or skillet over medium to high heat, melt the Gruyére and bacon on top of each burger. While the cheese is melting, toast each half of the buns on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes (spread butter or margarine on the buns if you prefer). Place a generous amount of the caramelized onions on the bottom halves of each hamburger bun, top with the burger and the remaining top half of the bun.
IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING: The USDA cautions against washing your meat before grinding or cooking due to it's ineffectiveness and risks of cross contamination. Additionally, they recommend that all ground beef be cooked to 160 degrees F as measured by a "thermistor or thermocouple food thermometer if possible" (a ThermoWorks Thermapen or Lavatools Javelin for instance).
RELATED LINKS
Handling food safely
Safe cooking temperatures (Chart)
Using a thermometer
The importance of resting
Fresh ground meat and ground turkey can be safely refrigerated for 1-2 days and frozen for up to 4 months with minimal quality loss. To freeze, place the fresh patties on a tray, cover and freeze for 6-8 hours. Wrap patties individually using plastic wrap or freezer paper, removing as much air as possible. Stay organized and give your frozen food extra protection by placing the wrapped patties in a labelled and dated freezer bag. Stacked patties should be separated with wax paper squares (or a suitable substitute).
RELATED LINKS
Preparing food to freeze
Refrigerator and freezer storage times (Chart)
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