Bacon Stuffed Cheeseburgers with Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Bacon Stuffed Cheeseburgers with Bourbon BBQ Sauce
- Burgers:
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 strips bacon, diced
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
- 4 burger buns
- lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles, for garnish
- Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
- ¾ cup bourbon
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sauce:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the ¾ cup water, salt, soy sauce, maple syrup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Dijon, garlic, and bourbon. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a glass measuring cup or small bowl, mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup of water until smooth. Slowly add the corn starch slurry, whisking vigorously as you go. Bring to a boil and quickly reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Burgers:
Ina medium a skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Carefully remove some of the bacon fat and leave 1 tablespoon in the pan.
Using the same skillet with the bacon fat, sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and making sure not to burn, cook 20-30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
In a bowl combine beef, barbecue sauce, salt, and pepper, being careful not to over mix. Add a spoonful of bacon-cheese mixture and place in the center of the 4 patties. Top each with another thin patty and seal the edges.
Sear burgers in the same pan used for the bacon with 1 or 2 teaspoons of the bacon grease or on a hot grill pan over medium-high heat, flipping once until desired doneness is reached, approximately 4 minutes each side for medium. Serve in buns with sauce and garnishes. Enjoy!
