Blue Cheese Burgers

Are you looking to dress up your burgers with a little class? These burgers are adapted from a recipe that I found in Better Homes and Garden, the June 2011 publication. The blue cheese adds an elegance to the burger and packs a flavor punch that can't be beat! The recipe is simple and doesn't take a lot of time. It also looks gourmet. What more can a cook want?

Bon Appetit!

Tips:

I like to let my beef sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes for even grilling.

When mixing the ingredients for the beef together, I like to use my hands. The key to tender burgers is not to over mix, as this will toughen up the proteins in the beef.

You can use any kind of ground beef that you desire, but I found that 1/2 sirloin, 1/2 chuck provides the right balance of fats for an awesome juicy burger.

Preparation and cook time is 30 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 pounds ground sirloin (beef)
1/2 pounds ground chuck (beef)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dried minced onion, or 1 tablespoon onion, minced
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (approximately 2 ounces)
1 medium red onion, sliced crosswise
Olive oil and/or melted butter
1 cup fresh baby spinach
4 hamburger buns, split (I like whole wheat)
Mayo, optional

Directions:

In a bowl or large pie plate, combine the beef, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and dried onion. To take the bite out of the onion, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes and pat dry with paper towels. On waxed paper, shape into 8 thin 4 inch diameter patties. Place 1 tablespoon of the blue cheese in center of four of the patties; pinch edges to seal. Brush onion slices with olive oil; sprinkle with Kosher salt.

Place burgers and onions directly over medium-high heat. Grill 3 to 5 minutes per side (depending on your grill and how you like your burgers). Burgers can also be cooked on stove top using a grill pan. Brush cut sides of buns with olive oil or melted butter. Grill, cut side down, the last minute of grilling. Serve burgers on buns with grilled onions, spinach, more cheese (if desired), and mayo (if desired). Makes 4 servings.