Trust us, these burgers will have you singing the blues in the best possible way. Beef and blue cheese are a time-honored match, of course, but a couple key details send these burgers over the top. First, make your patty with a ground brisket blend (meaning a percentage of the meat made from ground brisket, rather than the more traditional chuck, round, or sirloin cuts). This ensures an incredibly juicy texture and rich, beefy flavor. Second, while any blue cheese will do here, a creamy–not crumbly–bleu like Cambozola (a cow’s milk cheese made in the style of a French, soft-ripened triple cream cheese) will give you the creamiest melt. A couple strips of bacon (lightly cooked so it’s crispy but still chewy) and a few rings of red onion crown what we consider a bucket list sandwich.
The big flavors in this burger don’t really require a condiment, but no one would complain about a slather of mayo or F&S Original BBQ sauce. Cold beer? Sure! Red wine…even better.
Ingredients
Four 6- to 8-ounce beef patties (preferably brisket blend)
Season the patties evenly with Black & Tan seasoning on both sides and set aside (or refrigerate up to 3 hours in advance) while you prepare the grill.
Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium fire. When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, add a couple wood chunks to the fire, and then clean and oil the grates.
When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, place the burgers over direct heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping and rotating as needed for even cooking (move patties away from the fire if flare-ups occur or if they’re browning too fast), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the burger reads 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium.
Top the burgers with a blue cheese slice during the last two minutes of cooking (the cheese will continue to melt as the meat rests). Transfer the patties to a plate and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. Toast the buns, if desired.
To serve, top each bottom bun with red onion slices, then slide the burger onto the onions. Top each burger with two strips of bacon and any other desired condiments and the top bun; give the burger a little “squish” to meld the ingredients and dig in.