American | Burgers with Bacon-Cabernet Reduction

Posted on January 16, 2014

These are one of our favorites to make. If you don't like blue cheese, it is also good with Taleggio cheese.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

CABERNET REDUCTION

6 ounces Applewood smoked bacon slices, cut crosswise into thin slices

2 large onions, chopped

4 cups Cabernet Sauvignon

4 cups low-salt beef broth or no-salt beef stock

1 cup ruby Port

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

 

BURGERS

3 pounds coarsely ground high-quality boneless beef chuck roast

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

8 round Ciabatta rolls, country-style buns, Focaccia squares, or Hawaiian Hamburger Buns

 

Method

CABERNET REDUCTION

Cook bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl.

Add onions to pan drippings and cook over low heat until caramelized, about 45 minutes.

Add wine and all remaining ingredients and simmer until mixture is very thick and almost jam-like and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 2.25 hours. Stir in reserved crisped bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Do ahead note: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate; warm before using.

BURGERS

Prep grill (medium-high heat). Shape beef mixture into eight 1-inch thick patties. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill patties until brown on bottom and almost halfway cooked through, about 3 minutes. Flip burgers and cook until desired doneness, about 3 minutes more for medium rare. (About 4 minutes each side for medium.)

Build burger - bottom bun, burger, Cabernet reduction, blue cheese, and top bun.

 

(Ref. Sur La Table's "Mini Steak Burgers with Applewood Bacon-Cabernet Reduction and Bleu Cheese" recipe, "Big, Bold, and Beautiful Cabernet" class.)