3308. BACON and CHEESE CURD BURGER

makes four servings 


4 thick bacon slices 
1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
2 lb. 85% lean ground chuck or 90% lean ground sirloin 
3/4 cup cheese curds or string cheese, chopped
salt and ground black pepper 
4 good quality hamburger buns 
4 1/4 - inch thick slices ripe tomato (optional) 
4 thin slices white onion (optional) 
4 Iceberg lettuce leaves (optional) 

Place bacon slices on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Sprinkle each slice with brown sugar. Bake in a 450º F oven for 10 minutes or until crisp. When cool enough to handle, chop bacon; set aside.  

Divide beef into eight equal portions. Pat beef portions into patties approximately 4 inches in diameter and about 3/4-inch thick. 

Equally divide and place the bacon and 3 tablespoons of the cheese curds in the middle of four of the patties, leaving 1/2 inch around the edge of the patty. Top each with the remaining 4 patties. Pinch edges of top and bottom patties together to form one large burger patty. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 

Season burgers with salt and black pepper. For a charcoal grill, place the patties on the well-oiled rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 10 minutes. Turn with a wide spatula and grill 10 to 12 minutes more, until meat is cooked and an instant-read thermometer inserted into patties registers 160º F. Toast buns, cut side down, on grill during last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling.

To serve, place a cooked burger on bottom half of each bun. If you like, top each with tomato, onion, and lettuce.


bacon recipe source: Midwest Living.com