By Lee Svitak Dean / Minneapolis Star Tribune
I stumbled onto these burgers at Whole Foods Market last summer, after a long day of staring at a computer.
I rarely succumb to pre-made meat dishes because I know I can make them at home — where it would be fresher and, I’m sure, better.
And, really, a hamburger patty? How tough is that to make?
But there it was in the meat case, with bits of jalapeno, bacon and cheddar, calling my name. And I was on my way home, tired and hungry, and let’s face it, vulnerable in the food department.
So I bought the burger. In fact, I bought several because I had family coming to dinner. Then I purchased the brioche buns on the stand nearby, because who doesn’t want a better bun for a burger? (There’s a reason product placement works.)
Once these burgers were slapped on the grill, then devoured, I knew this was my new go-to burger.
Next time around, I bought ground beef, then doctored it up myself, after a quick look online to see if I had left out any critical ingredients.
To test out these burgers, I turned to those same hungry family members who had wolfed down the earlier version.
“These are even better,” they mumbled with their mouths full.
Burger after burger, I made these all summer long. Occasionally I would walk past the meat counter to see if the pre-made versions were still there, but I never saw them again.
No matter. Now I make these burgers at home.
But I buy those brioche buns at the store.
Cowboy burgers
Now that grilling season is here, these burgers are back on the menu. Fair warning: You’ll be making these burgers with bits of jalapeno, bacon and cheddar every time you break out the grill.
Note: Add more or less cheese, jalapenos and onion, as you prefer. For more heat, use serrano peppers. Bonus points if you toast the bun!
4-6 slices bacon, diced
1 pound ground beef
⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined and diced, with a few whole slices for garnish (see headnote)
¼ cup minced onion
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Butter
4 hamburger buns
Cook bacon and cool. Gently combine ground beef with bacon, cheese, diced jalapenos, onion, salt and pepper. Gently form meat mixture into 4 patties. Butter the cut side of buns.
Over direct heat with a hot grill, toast buns lightly (either directly on rack or on a grill pan). Remove and add burgers; cook until desired doneness. Serve on buns, garnished with jalapeno slices.
Makes 4 burgers. Nutrition per serving: 465 calories, 28 grams fat, 510 milligrams sodium, 24 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams saturated fat, 3 grams total sugars, 30 grams protein, 110 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber.
— Adapted from Whole Foods Market
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