Tasty Burger With Caramelized Onions, Apple And Blue Cheese
6-8 servings
A truly unique way to dress up a hamburger with some flavors you might not think about, the mustard is the key to tying everything together. You’ll need to decide how big you want the burgers and adjust for number of buns and mayonnaise needed.
You’ll Need:
2 Tlbs butter
2 Medium Vidalia (sweet) onions, sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, diced
2 pounds ground chuck
Woody’s way: I like to use a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin for my burgers, in this case a pound of each.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 ½ Tlbs chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1Tlbs. dried
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 egg
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
6-8 large crusty rolls, split
6-8 Tlbs mayonnaise
¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled
Here’s What To Do:
Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions to hot pan and begin caramelizing, stirring occasionally. After 4 minutes or so, add apples to the onions and continue to cook until onions are golden brown, about 6 more minutes. Remove from heat when done.
While onions and apples are cooking, blend together in a large bowl the ground beef, salt, pepper, thyme, Dijon, egg, and bread crumbs. Be sure ingredients are well incorporated, but don’t over work. Form mixture into 6 good-sized patties. (Hint: If you create a concave burger, with the center thinner than the edges, when it cooks the burger won’t swell up to look like a meatball, but will remain flat and patty-like)
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Place burgers on grill and cook about 7-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. As burgers are finishing (after the first flip), spread mayonnaise on both cut sides of each split roll. Place rolls on grill, mayonnaise side down, to toast for about 1 minute, or until golden. Place each burger on the bottom half of a toasted roll. Top with equal parts of blue cheese, then with a generous scoop of the caramelized onion and apple mixture. Cover with the roll and serve.
What Goes With What Wines Selections
Independent Producers ’06 Merlot Destiny Ridge Vineyards Columbia Valley WA. (Merlot)
Woody the Wine Guys Picks – Keep in mind that these wines are the types that I found go well with this recipe and should be used as a guide for your selection.
Independent Producers is a collaboration of wineries and growers from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Their intention is to promote the small family run wineries and growers of the region. A deep Merlot with earthy characteristics and a slight vanilla bean edge. The flavors are dark and brooding¸ while the tannins are nicely interwoven in this excellent bargain. $10.99
http://Sorry no web available (NWA)
Los Rocas ’05 Garnacha, Spain (Grenache)
The 2005 Las Rocas Viejas comes from high altitude¸ low yielding¸ 100+-year-old Grenache vines. It has a lovely perfume of spice box¸ lavender and blueberry and an aromatic nose of raspberry mocha¸ licorice and spicy minerality. $15.99
http://Sorry NWA