Sweet Bourbon Burger with Crispy Onion Straws
These big, beefy, boozy ⅓ pound patties get a healthy dusting of my Homemade Sweet Rub and a high heat sear on the grill for the most amazing crunchy crust. Topped with a sweet bourbon sauce, Havarti cheese, and a mountain of fresh, crunchy onion straws, this burger will put any burger joint to shame.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef sirloin
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 3 Tablespoons Homemade Sweet Rub
- 12 thin slices Havarti cheese
- 6 burger buns pub style
- ¼ cup salted butter room temperature
Sweet Bourbon Sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 20-oz can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 2 Tablespoons Signature Sweet Rub
Crispy Onion Straws
- 1 large sweet onion cut into thin strips
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup corn starch
- ¼ cup Signature Sweet Rub
- 4 cups canola oil
Instructions
- Make the sweet bourbon sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the sweet bourbon sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 30 minutes. Use a blender to puree the sauce before using.
- Prep the crispy onion straw batter. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onions and the buttermilk. In a pie plate gently mix the flour, corn starch, and sweet rub. Place a heavy bottom pot on the stove top and preheat the oil to 400 degrees F.
- Preheat the grill. Preheat your grill to high heat (around 450 degrees).
- Make the patties. In a large bowl, place your ground beef and pour in the bourbon. Mix very gently. Overmixing can make your burgers tough. Form into 6 individual patties. Season on both sides with the sweet rub.
- Grill the burgers. Place the burgers on the grill grate and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until burgers are within 10 degrees of desired doneness. The FDA recommends ground beef is cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Make the onion straws. While the burgers cook, fry your onion straws. Remove the onion strips from the buttermilk and toss in the flour/cornstarch mixture. Separate them into individual strips and make sure they are each coated with the flour/cornstarch. Gently transfer them to the hot oil and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion straws are crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon onto a paper towel and season with salt. Set aside until you are ready to assemble your burgers.
- Add the cheese and toast the buns. When the burgers are almost done, slather a bit of the bourbon sauce over each burger. Top each with 2 slices of the Havarti cheese. Butter your buns and place those on the grill grates as well. Close the lid on your grill and cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the buns are toasted.
- Assemble the bourbon burgers. To assemble your burgers, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom bun (this prevents the bun from getting soggy) then the cheesy burger, then tomato slices (if desired), a handful of the onion straws, another hearty spoonful of the bourbon sauce, and the buttery toasted top bun. Secure the burger with a large toothpick or skewer. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 2387kcal | Carbohydrates: 123g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 193g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 975mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 911IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 457mg | Iron: 14mg