Bacon Bit Burgers With Smoked Gouda And Steak House Smothered Onions And Baby Spinach Salad Food

BACON BIT BURGERS WITH SMOKED GOUDA AND STEAK HOUSE SMOTHERED ONIONS AND BABY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and place a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
• Add the bacon and a drizzle of EVOO to the hot skillet and cook until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain off all but 1 tablespoon or so of the fat from the skillet. Return the pan to medium low heat and add the finely chopped onions to sweat out in the remaining fat, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Preheat a second medium nonstick skillet with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO 2 times around the pan, over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add all the thinly sliced onions and top them with a plate that can fit inside the skillet. Top the plate with a heavy can and smother the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lift the plate with tongs; it'll be hot!
• Place the beef in a bowl and top with the Worcestershire, hot sauce, and grill seasoning.
• Remove the chopped onions to the plate with the bacon to cool. Turn off the heat and reserve the pan. Once the onions are cool, add them and the bacon to the ground sirloin and combine well. Score the meat into 4 even sections and form 4 large patties. Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO to the skillet and reheat it over medium high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, minutes on each side for medium well.
• Toast the split rolls under the hot broiler until golden. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top with the smoked Gouda. Remove the bun tops from the broiler pan. Return the burgers to the broiler just to melt the cheese, about 30 seconds.
• Stir 1/4 cup of the steak sauce into the smothered onions. Top the burgers with the onions and set the bun tops in place.
• Place the remaining tablespoon of steak sauce in a small salad bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and whisk in about 3 tablespoons of EVOO. Toss with the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and serve alongside the burgers.

BACON BIT BURGERS

Steps:

• In large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined plate.
• Discard all but about 1 T. of the bacon drippings.
• Chop 1/4 of an onion finely, then slice the other 1 3/4 onions.
• Sweat the chopped onion in the reserved bacon drippings for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and combine with the bacon.
• Coat pan with the olive oil and drop in the sliced onions. Let sweat until soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove and place in bowl; keep warm.
• While the onions are sweating, combine the sirloin, Worcestershire, hot sauce, grill seasoning, and the bacon/onion mixture. Form into 4 equal-sized patties.
• Cook burgers, covered, in skillet, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare and 6 minutes per side for medium-well.
• Place a slice of cheese on each burger and cover over low heat to melt the cheese.
• Stir steak sauce into the cooked sliced onions.
• Toast the buns if desired.
• Serve burgers with the smothered onions on a toasted bun.
• *NOTE* I served these without the buns and enjoyed them that way also. Just topped the burgers with the smothered onions and left the bun out of the equation.

SMOKED GOUDA AND BACON BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat the grill as directed.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spatula and place on paper towels to drain. Crumble.
• Using your hands, mix the beef, parsley, cheese, onion, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and cooked bacon in a bowl until well blended; do not overmix. Using a light touch, form into 6 patties no more than 1 inch thick. Refrigerate the burgers until the grill is ready.
• Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the burgers on the grill, cover, and cook for 7 minutes, flipping after about 4 minutes, for medium-done (150°F, slightly pink). Add a minute per side for well-done (160°F).
• To toast the buns, put them cut-sides down directly over the fire for the last minute of cooking.
• If serving the burgers directly from the grill, serve on the buns. If the burgers will sit, even for a few minutes, keep the buns and burgers separate until just before eating.