Categories: Burgers
Ingredients
- Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese:
- 16 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide pieces
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups whole milk
- 3 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated
- 2 oz. Fontina, grated
- 2 oz. smoked Gouda, grated
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 or 3 gratings of nutmeg
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1/2 lb. small elbow pasta, cooked al dente
- Crispy Onion Straws:
- Canola oil, for frying
- 1 large sweet onion, finely sliced
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Burgers:
- 1 3/4 lbs. ground beef, divided into 4 even balls
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 brioche burger buns
- 3 tbsp. Roasted Garlic Butter (see recipe), melted
- 1/2 cup Donkey Sauce (see recipe)
- 1 kosher dill pickle, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
- 8 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
- 1 large red heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
Directions
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To prepare the mac ‘n’ cheese, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it’s crispy and the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the pan. Whisking constantly, gradually add the flour to make a roux. Cook, whisking, until the mixture turns a light golden color and is the consistency of wet sand, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk, whisking to blend and prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the cheeses and the bay leaf and cook, whisking, until the cheese has melted. Whisk in the mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the bacon bits and stir to combine. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Set aside to cool.
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To prepare the onion straws, in a deep cast-iron skillet, heat 2 to 3 inches of canola oil to 350. Have ready a plate topped with several layers of paper towels.
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While the oil is heating, separate the layers of the sliced onion and soak them in the buttermilk in a medium bowl for 10 to 12 minutes. In a separate large shallow pan, combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, 2 tsp of the salt and the black pepper. Remove the onions from the buttermilk, shake off the excess, and dredge them in the flour mixture.
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Working in small batches, fry the onions in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and transfer to the paper towels to drain. Season with the remaining 1 tsp salt.
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To cook the burgers, preheat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Season the burger balls all over with the salt. Place them on the hot griddle 3 to 4 inches apart. Cook for 90 seconds without moving to develop a crush. Then, using a heavy spatula, smash each burger, flattening it to 1/4 inch thick. Cook until blood starts to come to the surface of the burger, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip to another part of the griddle and cook on the second side for 2 to 3 minutes more. Top each burger with 2 heaping tbsp. of the mac ‘n’ cheese. Place 2 slices of cheddar on top of each to cover the mac ‘n’ cheese. Cover the burgers with a dome, then lift one side of it quickly and add 2 tbsp. water to the pan under the dome to steam the burgers and help melt the cheese. Cook under the dome for 60 seconds. Remove the dome and transfer the burgers to a platter to rest.
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Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns lightly with the roasted garlic butter. Toast the bun halves on the griddle until golden and crisp, about 45 seconds per side. Set aside.
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To assemble the burgers, smear donkey sauce on the cut side of each bun half. Cover each of the bottom bun halves with 3 pickle slices and 1 or 2 onion slices. Top each with a burger, 2 slices of crisped bacon, 2 tomato slices, shredded lettuce, and some crispy onion straws. Place the top bun halves on top of the onion straws. Serve.