BLUE CHEESE BURGERS
6 oz ground beef per patty
blue cheese/butter blend
caramelized onions*
onion buns
After years of making blue cheese burgers with the cheese on the inside- only to spring a “leak” at least half the time- I decided to keep it on the outside. Same great flavor without the mess.
For the blue cheese butter blend: Combine 2 parts blue cheese, such as “Maytag” with 1 part unsalted butter very well. Have it at room temp. You can make a big batch and freeze the leftovers.
For the caramelized onions: Slice a large sweet onion very thin - you will need one large onion for 4 burgers. Heat 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the onions on low stirring frequently until golden and very limp- they should melt in your mouth. This usually takes 35-45 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the grill.
For the patties: Take the meat out of the fridge about 1 hour before grilling. Make the patties about 1 inch thick. Salt and pepper and coat both sides with olive oil.
Grilling the burgers: Grill the burgers on direct heat for 3 minutes per side for rare- 4 minutes per side for med- and God forbid -5 minutes per side for all dried out. Given the concerns about undercooked meat- I usually cook it for about 3 1/2 minutes or until an instant read thermometer is 135 degrees. If there are “flare ups” on the grill- move to indirect heat after searing.
Assembling the burger: Lightly spread both the top and bottoms of the bun with the cheese spread. Top each burger with a generous dollop of the blue cheese butter mixture and- a using a fork- a nice little pile of the onions.
*Caramelizing onions is an act of patience. When you cook onions over a very slow heat- long and slow- the natural sugars in the onions are released and naturally caramelize. This process will only happen if they are allowed to cook slowly- otherwise they will burn and become bitter. Caramelized onions add savor and depth to salads, sandwiches, sauces, dips, stews, and pasta, and are a versatile topping for pizza, steak, chicken, grilled fish- virtually anything.
Read what NY Times food writer, Mark Bittman, has to say about how to make a great burger
