Usually, being black and blue is not a desirable thing… unless you’re talking about this burger (or the Backstreet Boys album of the same name). Fire up the griddle and pour a glass of the 2013 Fiction Red you got in your Box of Awesomeness!
Ingredients
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb ground beef round
6 fresh kaiser rolls, split
3 -6 leaves romaine lettuce, torn
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1/3 lb premium blue cheese (not crumbled)
For the Blackened Spice Mix
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
For the Dressing (optional)
3 ounces premium blue cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Prep
You will need 1/2 pound blue cheese total (get the block type cheese, not the crumbled stuff in packages).
Prepare your dressing by crumbling 3 ounces of cheese and mixing it thoroughly with the other dressing ingredients and setting aside to chill (do not do this more than a few hours before).
Mix together your spice mix in a large shallow bowl or plate and set aside until needed.
Mix together chuck and round, then separate mixture into 1/3 pound pieces (just over 5 ounces)- you should have 6.
Divide each piece in half and form into a thin patty and place onto wax paper on whatever platter you are working with.
Take the 1/3 pound of blue cheese and cut into 6 divided sections (approximate) and place thin slices onto 6 of the patties you have formed.
Cover these patties with the remaining 6 patties and form a pinched seal around the edges, making it tight.
Pick up each patty, and gently reform the burger and pat it back out to thinness, if needed; rest them on waxed paper.
Take patties one by one and coat in the seasoning mixture, not forgetting to coat the side edges and patting them nicely flat when finished; rest on waxed paper.
Cook over heated coals or on gas grill until it is cooked through or temperature reads 160F (do not press on patties while grilling).
Allow patties to rest 10-15 minutes after cooking for cheese to settle.
Serve on split kaiser rolls (may toast them if you like) with appropriate condiments: lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, and a little blue cheese dressing (instead of mayo; optional).
