Recipes: Beef

Big Bold Blue Barbecue Burgers

Author: Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings: 4
Course: Entrees

These original burgers are full of bold flavors your friends and family will love. The blending of our sweet and tangy Motor City Barbecue Rub with the peppery zest of our Big Boris Pepper Rub results in a sophisticated barbecue taste with a little bit of kick.

Use hickory smoke or grill the burgers over an open hickory flame for the ultimate experience.

NOTE: You can substitute your favorite bold barbecue rub for the combination of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Grilling Rubs in this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground sirloin

1 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 slices (1/2" thick) from one large red onion

2 tablespoons Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Motor City Barbecue Rub

2 tablespoons Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Big Boris Pepper Rub

8 slices marble rye or pumpernickel bread

Olive oil

Sea salt

Hickory chips, chunks or limbs

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to 500 degrees. You will need a direct grilling zone for the burgers and an indirect zone for toasting the bread. Use hickory smoke or flame to enhance the flavor of the burgers.

Lightly brush the red onion slices with olive oil and grill over direct heat for about 4 minutes per side or until each side is nicely charred. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop into pieces no larger than 1/2".

Use your hands to mix the ground beef, crumbled blue cheese and chopped red onion together. Divide the burger mixture into four equal parts and form into patties about 1" thick. Be sure to tightly press the patties into shape so they are less likely to fall apart on the grill.

Mix the Big Boris Pepper Rub and Motor City Barbecue Rub together in a small dish and then coat the burger patties thoroughly on all sides.

Lightly brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt.

Grill the burgers over direct heat for about 4 minutes per side. Please note these burgers should be cooked to at least medium or medium-well because of the other ingredients mixed into the beef.

When the burgers are turned to the second side, add the bread to the grill in an indirect cooking zone. Turn the slices of bread after two minutes. As the burgers near completion, you may wish to move the bread over direct heat for no more than about a minute, but be careful not to burn it.

Serve the burgers on the grilled bread. Most people do not need condiments with these flavorful burgers.