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Maplewood-Smoked Bacon Beer Burgers

What's not to love about this recipe? Ground Beef patties are grilled and topped with smoked bacon and cheddar.

Cook Mode

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Ground Beef (96% lean)
  • 1/4 cup beer
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
  • 4 slices reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
  • 4 extra-thick slices Maplewood-smoked bacon, cut in half, cooked crisp

Cooking:

  1. Combine Ground Beef, beer, and Worcestershire in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties.
  2. Place patties in center of grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 7 to 9 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place buns, cut-side down, on grid. Grill until lightly toasted. During last minute of grilling, top each burger with cheese.
    3. Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.
  3. Place burgers on bottom of buns; top with bacon slices. Close sandwiches.
    4. Cook's Tip: Reduced-sodium or regular bacon may be substituted for Maplewood-smoked bacon.

Nutrition Information

Safe Handling Tips

Beef Checkoff

Bourbon Blueberry & Brie Bacon Cheeseburger

Brian Capps of Louisville, KY, has been crowned the 2021 Derby Burger Champion in the 10th Annual Derby Burger Challenge. Capps’ burger, made with 100% Kentucky Cattlemen’s ground beef is packed with flavor. The patty is topped with brie, thick-cut bacon, a blueberry bourbon sauce and arugula - all on a brioche bun.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Kentucky Cattlemen’s Ground Beef
  • 4 Slices Bacon, thick sliced
  • 1/4 inch Sliced Brie Cheese, rind removed
  • 1 pint Fresh Blueberries
  • 1 Lemon, halved
  • 1/8 cup White Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Bourbon
  • 2 Brioche Buns
  • 2 Tbsp. Salted Butter
  • Arugula 
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Recipe

1. Form Two Patties and Set Aside.

2. Preheat your skillet over medium high heat. Add butter, and sliced buns. Cook until golden brown, set aside.

3. Salt and pepper both sides of the burger patty, cook over medium high heat. Cook until internal temperature of 160°F (USDA recommended), add cheese before taking off heat until melted.

4. Add blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a small pot. Cook on medium to low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Slowly add your slurry mixture to thicken blueberry sauce. Remove mixture from heat and stir in your bourbon.

5. Build your burger. Place your burger patty with melted cheese, cooked bacon, blueberry sauce on the bottom bun. Top the burger with arugula and add the top bun.

6. Enjoy!

Find more delicious recipes and other ways to be involved in the Derby Burger Challenge HERE!