Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

Humble ground beef raised to 5-star restaurant standards!

Want to turn an ordinary burger into a gourmet meal?  Then this is your burger. Simple to make, even easier to eat!

My secret ingredient in this (or any burger) is the addition of just a tad of….brown gravy mix.  Yep, that’s it!  It adds a wonderful flavor.  I buy this in bulk–large Tone’s or McCormick’s in the wholesale club.  However, Aldi’s brand is VERY good…I think better than the name brand…and I’ve seen it sold for between 25 and 39 cents per packet.  Pick up a few if you shop there and empty them all into a small jelly jar so you always have it handy.

Ground beef raised to gourmet status

It’s also important, if you want a juicy burger, to use 80% ground beef.  Ultra lean ground beef has it’s uses, but burgers are NOT one of them.  You absolutely need fat for a burger to be juicy.  Ultra lean results in a dry and sandy-textured burger. Don’t use 73% as that is TOO fatty.  The 80% is the best choice.

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The sauce again, is very simple.  Merlot is the wine to use, but most any red will do you in a pinch.  This sauce is also GREAT served on steak.

Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers with Merlot Sauce

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Author: Judith Hannemann

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs 80% ground beef
• 1 tsp brown gravy mix
• 2 tbs finely chopped onion -OR- 1 tbs dehydrated
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 8 tbs crumbled blue cheese
• 4 slices crisp cooked bacon, finely diced
• Merlot Sauce:
• 1 cup thickly sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, sliced in ⅛-inch slices
• 2 tbs butter
• ½ cup merlot
• ½ cup cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare merlot sauce by melting the 2 tbs of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion. Saute
2. stirring occasionally until onion begins to get golden brown and mushrooms begin to brown.
3. Add merlot, bring to boil and reduce the sauce to 50%. Add enough cream (heavy, light or half and half) until desired consistency is reached. The ½ cup is only a guide!! Ideally, sauce should "coat a spoon" and not be too runny. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be kept warm while cooking burgers.
4. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, gravy mix, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 4-oz portions. Form each portion into a patty about ½-inch thick.
5. Place 2 tbs of blue cheese and ¼ of the diced bacon in the center of 4 of the patties. Top with the plain patties and seal well around the edges.
6. Heat a BBQ grill or broiler to high heat. Grill patties to desired doneness. For medium-well (160 degrees F) this should take approximately 5 minutes per side.

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Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Merlot Sauce

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Merlot Sauce