Craving a burger that’s bursting with flavor and a step above the ordinary? Look no further than this inspired Pioneer Woman burger recipe! We’re taking the classic burger and turning it into a gourmet experience with caramelized onions, tangy blue cheese, and a spicy mayo that will tantalize your taste buds. Get ready to ditch the boring burgers and embrace a flavor explosion that will make you the burger king or queen of your backyard BBQ.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Tabasco sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 generous tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Kaiser rolls
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Mixed greens
Let’s Get Cooking: Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Season and Prep the Beef
In a medium mixing bowl, gently place your ground beef. Season generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. For a touch of heat, add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce – adjust to your spice preference! Using your hands, mix the seasonings into the meat until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough burgers. Set aside while you prepare the other components.
2. Caramelize Those Onions
Heat a medium skillet over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, allowing it to melt and coat the pan. Pour in your thinly sliced red onions. The key to perfect caramelized onions is low and slow cooking, so be patient. Sprinkle 2 generous tablespoons of brown sugar over the onions. Toss everything together to combine, ensuring the onions are coated in butter and sugar. Let the onions caramelize over low heat for approximately twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. They should become soft, sweet, and deeply browned.
3. Whip Up the Spicy Mayo
While the onions are working their magic, let’s make the spicy mayo. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of mayonnaise with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Stir well to incorporate the Tabasco evenly. Taste and adjust the amount of Tabasco to reach your desired level of spiciness. Set aside.
4. Toast the Kaiser Rolls
Slice your Kaiser rolls in half horizontally. Spread about ½ tablespoon of butter on each cut half. Place the rolls face down on a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grill them until they are just toasted and slightly golden brown. This toasting will ensure the rolls can hold up to the juicy burger and flavorful toppings without getting soggy. Once toasted, remove them from the heat and let them cool slightly on a plate.
5. Grill the Perfect Patties
Now it’s time for the star of the show – the burger patties! Gently form the seasoned ground beef into two equal-sized patties. Make them slightly larger than the Kaiser rolls, as they will shrink a bit during cooking. Place the patties on a grill pan or skillet over medium to medium-low heat. For beautiful grill marks and even cooking, allow each patty to cook for about 3 minutes on one side. Then, using a spatula, rotate the patty 45 degrees on the same side and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
Flip the burgers to the other side and cook for another couple of minutes. Rotate them 45 degrees again on this side to achieve those perfect crosshatch grill marks.
6. Assemble Your Gourmet Burger
Once the burgers are nearly cooked to your desired doneness, it’s time to build the flavor masterpiece. Top each glorious patty with a generous helping of those sweet caramelized onions you patiently cooked. Next, crumble an equally generous amount of blue cheese over the onions. The heat from the burger will gently melt the blue cheese, creating a creamy, tangy contrast to the sweet onions.
While the cheese is melting slightly, spread the spicy mayo generously on both halves of the toasted Kaiser rolls. Carefully transfer a burger patty onto the bottom half of a bun. Top with a fresh handful of mixed greens for a bit of freshness and texture. Finally, place the top half of the bun over the greens.
Serve immediately and prepare to be amazed by the explosion of flavors in this Pioneer Woman inspired burger recipe! Enjoy!
