BBQ Burger Deluxe

In honor of officially entering prime BBQ season, I thought I'd share the BEST classic BBQ burger. This is adapted from Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats cookbook. And one thing is for sure, that girl knows her burgers. And this one is fantastic! You'll have to accompany it with homemade sweet potato fries and fry sauce. Maybe I can post that one tomorrow. Enjoy!

P.S. These would be out of this world on the Homemade Buns!

{BBQ BURGER DELUXE}

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. liquid smoke

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. hot sauce

3 T. tomato paste

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. Grill Seasoning of your choice

1/2 lb Monterrey Jack Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Hamburger Buns

Toppings:

Leaf Lettuce

Sliced tomatoes

BBQ Sauce

Heat a grill pan or outdoor BBQ over high heat. 

Place the beef in a bowl with the garlic and the finely chopped onion. In a small bowl, mix the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, tomato paste, sugar, and grill seasoning. Pour the mixture over the meat and add a drizzle of EVOO. Dig in with your hands and mix until all the ingredients are combined.Form 4 1-inch thick patties (Rachael Ray suggests making the center of the patty a little thinner than the edges to ensure it cooks through). Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Top with the cheese and let it melt during the last minute or two of cooking. Place the meat on the toasted roll bottoms and top with lettuce, tomato, and other toppings of your choice. Pour BBQ sauce on the roll tops and set into place.