The Burger Project

[DFen911]

So with the advent of getting 75 lbs of hamburger with our side of beef (this is after we gave 40 lbs to neighbors) I've decided to start playing with my favorite food.

Yes I WILL gladly pay you on Tuesday for a hamburger today.

So while I got caught up in making this new burger I totally forgot to take a picture. What is worse is, I made them again for lunch and forgot again.

This burger I am calling the Ciabatta Bacon Burger.

Ingredients:
For The Burgers
1 pound Ground Beef (don't bother with super lean get the 15% fat for this baby)
2 cloves Garlic, fine mince
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
6 ounces Smoked Pork, finely chopped
1 small Onion, sliced
Slices Of Monterey Jack Cheese
2 each Ciabatta Buns, sliced in half
2-3 Tbs. Rendered Bacon Fat

For The Sauce
5-6 Tbs. Mayo
2-3 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Mix hamburger, garlic, salt & pepper, and smoked pork together. Form into 4 even patties and let chill at least 1 hour.

Next mixed the mayo and worcestershire sauce together and season with s&p.

Slice the onions thin and cook in 1 Tbs of the bacon fat. Do not caramelize, just quickly brown them a bit and soften them just a tad. You still want that crunch.

When time to grill heat grill to medium low (burgers should never be cooked on high heat. My BBQ does quiet well when all burners are on low. I only heat up the side the burgers are cooking on) Cook burgers to desired doneness. We like ours with just a blush of pink. Put cheese on top of each burger and let rest.

While the burgers are resting - take remaining bacon fat and heat it up a bit. Using a pastry brush, brush each side of the Ciabatta buns. Grill the buns cut side down till nice and toasted. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from.

Assembly - The burgers are served open faced. Take a Tbs of the mayo sauce and generously put on cut side of bun. Add a cheese covered burger, top with onions and some fresh cracked pepper.

Note - If you don't have some smoked pork on hand, then use bacon. Cook it a bit, but not to the crunchy stage. Crumble it up and add to the beef. You'll need about 6 slices.

[Harborwitch]

Sounds really good!

[Trixxee]

That sounds fantastic! Does anyone know how long you can keep bacon fat in the fridge? I've had some stored for probably about a month now. Can I use it today to caramelize some onions for my quiche?

[DFen911]

I keep bacon fat for what seems like ever! I remember as a kid my mom would cook bacon and put the pan, with fat, under the stove cupboard. Every weekend she'd whip it out and cook bacon. When it got to be too much she'd drain some off and put it in the fridge for green beans and potatoes.

I keep mine forever and have never (knock wood) ever gotten sick from it

[Trixxee]

Thanks, D!

[cjs]

Good Lord you had 115 lbs. of your beef ground into burger?? You must love ground meat!!

You will be the burger queen by the time you're done!

[Old Bay]

You could build Oregons biggest meatloaf

[DFen911]

I didn't want the stew meat. And I got all the trimmings ground up. I was really surprised over how many roasts I got. So gonna save those for this winter

[Harborwitch]

I can remember my Mom always kept bacon fat in a canister on the counter. I keep a jar in the fridge, or on the counter in the winter. It usually doesn't last that long. Never gotten sick either.

[Old Bay]

We save it for months, give it to the kids, use it for everything. Never smelled it go rancid. We do eat a lot of bacon. Take your Lipitor and eat bacon. We also add lard to cooked pinto beans to make refried beans.