The Hamilton Spectator

STUFFED BURGERS

Pepperoni adds spice to these tame-looking summer favourites

- BONNIE S. BENWICK

Hidden inside these tamelookin­g burgers is a smoky and spicy blend of bacon, chipotle, cheese and something unexpected — pepperoni.

Because the ground beef part of these burgers is patted fairly thin, there’s less of a chance you’ll undercook it. For a little extra texture and flavour, crispy fried onions go into the beef.

They can be cooked in a grill pan on the stove top as well; grease the pan with cooking oil spray and cook over medium heat. A kitchen scale comes in quite handy for weighing the portions of meat.

These burgers taste great unadorned, but feel free to top them with accompanim­ents of your choice.

The burgers can be assembled and refrigerat­ed a day or two in advance; they can be individual­ly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to three months.

Stuffed Beef Burgers

Makes 9 servings

3 strips smoked bacon, cooked until crisp then cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces

2 ounces small pepperoni slices, cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces One 2-ounce block pepper jack cheese, grated (may substitute smoked Gouda)

3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo (sauce), coarsely

chopped, plus 2 tablespoon­s of the adobo

3 pounds ground chuck, preferably an blend

cup crispy fried onions, such as French’s brand

Olive oil cooking spray 9 hamburger buns, for serving Flaky sea salt or kosher salt, for serving

Combine the bacon, pepperoni, grated cheese, chopped chipotle peppers and their adobo in a mixing bowl, stirring until well blended. This is your burger filling.

Line your countertop with plastic wrap or parchment paper.

Combine the ground beef and crispy fried onions in a mixing bowl; use your clean hands to

gently work the onions into the meat. Divide that mixture into nine equal portions (about 5.5 ounces per). Reserve about onequarter of each portion for a burger “lid;” shape the rest of the meat into a shallow round saucer that’s about 3½ inches wide and ¾ of an inch tall.

Divide the filling mixture evenly among the ground beef saucers, gently packing it in. Flatten each of those reserved beef-onion portions into a lid that covers the filling. Use your fingers to pinch and seal the lid, working your way around so there is no visible seam. As you work, place each stuffed burger on the plastic wrap or parchment.

At this point, the burgers can be wrapped individual­ly and

refrigerat­ed for a day or two, or frozen for up to three months (the individual­ly wrapped burgers gathered in a freezer-safe zip-top bag).

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill: if using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (about 375 F). If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly under the cooking area for direct heat. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about six inches above the coals for about four to five seconds.

Grease each burger by lightly spraying it all over with olive oil cooking spray. Arrange the burgers on the grill grate; close the lid and cook for about five minutes

on the first side, then use a metal spatula to turn them over; they should be sizzling and releasing orange-coloured juices in spots. Close the lid and cook for three to four minutes on the second sides, or until the beef is no longer pink inside and you can tell that the cheese has melted (insert the tip of a knife to help you discern this).

Transfer to bottom buns and season each burger lightly with salt. Top with top buns and let sit for five to seven minutes before serving.

Per serving: 510 calories; 29 grams fat; 11 g saturated fat; 115 milligrams cholestero­l; 790 mg sodium; 24 g carbohydra­tes; 2 g fibre; 3 g sugar; 35 g protein.

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 ??  ?? The burgers can be assembled and refrigerat­ed a day or two in advance; they can be individual­ly wrapped and frozen for up to three months.
The burgers can be assembled and refrigerat­ed a day or two in advance; they can be individual­ly wrapped and frozen for up to three months.
 ?? JENNIFER CHASE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST ??
JENNIFER CHASE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

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