Goat Cheese Burgers with Onion Jam

Do you know what's great about having a party where everyone brings their favorite dish? You get to have your very own smorgasbord of new and exciting foods to try. You walk through the line, pick out what looks good and interesting, and then have yourself a taste. If you're lucky, you hit the jackpot and taste something new and extraordinary. Once you've realized that you just tasted something spectacular, you go on a crazy mad hunt in search of your now, favorite guest - the one who brought this something spectacular to your party. Once you track them down, you insist that you must have the recipe. Beaming with pride, this guest happily agrees to share the recipe with you. Seriously, is there any better compliment than to have someone on their knees begging for your recipe?

Heck, 90% of the time, it's not even an original recipe. But, just because we didn't invent the winning recipe, doesn't mean we don't deserve a standing ovation for knowing a good thing when we read it. Kate found this recipe on MSN and somehow, she knew it would be a hit. She's good! She wanted to share the joy with us and now we want to share the joy with you!

Soooooooo....


We had the chance this past weekend to give these burgers a try and to say that these burgers were a hit is a ginormous understatement. There was lots of moaning and groaning going on at the table and our friend, Shawn threw it out there and said, "This might be the best burger I've ever had". Bold statement! But everybody around the table moaned and agreed!

These burgers have incredible flavor and if you make the Onion Jam the day before as suggested, these tasty burgers can be made in a flash. We wish we had prepared the onions the day before because we were super hungry! Neither of us had read the directions thoroughly, so we underestimated how long the onion process would take. Although, to smell the aroma of the onions cooking down and caramelizing into jam was a real treat for us. There was some serious salivating going on in that kitchen!

Also, the recipe calls for Texas toast, but ever since we discovered the wonderful world of Skinny Buns we have found it impossible to use anything else. Shawn and Deetra, who are big fans of Texas toast, seemed a little nervous about the substitution, but they came around to our side when they tasted first hand, how the skinny buns allowed the spotlight to shine brightly on the main event - the burger!

We followed Kate's instruction not to use condiments and we all agreed that this burger can and should stand alone.

Barry, who normally has an aversion to anything involving vinegar, was a huge fan of these burgers and thought this recipe would make a killer meatloaf!

So, if you're looking for that burger recipe that will have everybody on the block talking about your Memorial Day cookout, look no further - the winner is right here!

Thanks Kate!



Goat Cheese Burgers w/Onion Jam

2 Pounds Ground Beef
Onion Jam (see recipe below)
4 Ounces Goat Cheese
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
12 Slices Texas Toast or Skinny Buns

Additional goat cheese for topping - optional
Golden tomato wedges - optional

Directions:
1) Combine the ground beef, half the Onion Jam, 4 oz. of goat cheese, salt, and red pepper in a large mixing bowl. Divide into 6 portions and form into patties.

2) Place burger patties on a lightly oiled grill rack and grill directly over medium heat. Grill for 18-23 minutes until internal temperature reads 160 degrees. Turn burgers once halfway through grilling.

3) Grill the Texas toast (or if in a pinch, just heat them in a covered skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side on the stove). Spread 6 slices with some of the remaining onion jam and top each with a grilled burger patty. Top with additional goat cheese, if desired. Top with remaining toast slice and garnish with tomato slices. (No ketchup, mustard, mayo needed - it takes away from the intense flavor of the jam and the mellow cheese).

Onion Jam
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 large yellow onions and 2 large red onions, thinly sliced; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups chopped green onions. Cook onion mixture for 25-30 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar; reduce heat. Simmer 10-12 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Cover and chill for up to one week.


Coming Soon..... Many More Great Recipes for Your Weekend Cookout!