Thursday, August 7, 2014


Burger Time!!

After taking a break earlier this year from writing and blogging, I'm happy and excited to once again be posting on "The Big Dog's Blog"!!! So check back often for more posts and as always, please include your comments and opinions to my blog as well!!!

Now like many of you, my grills are "fired up" year round regardless of the weather and season.
(I actually grilled out burgers once in Grayton Beach Florida while a "weak" tropical depression made landfall! I know...a little crazy!). However with Summer in full swing and Labor Day Weekend just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to post about one of my favorite culinary topics... Burgers!

Course as many of you know, I love to cook! So grilling out as we say in the south, or as they say in California, barbecuing, whether on the deck, by the pool, in wine country, at camp or for that matter, anywhere with family and friends and all the while enjoying great wines together is simply one of my very favorite fun times and relaxing activities.

Over the past many years, I have been blessed and fortunate to cook with and for, as well as, have as good friends some of the greatest chefs and culinary enthusiastic buddies in the world!
Their skills, techniques, attitudes and friendship have taught me more than I can express and I have so enjoyed learning and developing so many wonderful new recipes with their outstanding guidance and suggestions. This includes great burgers as well!!

So I thought it would be fun this Summer to share one of my favorite burger recipes with you all. While I have quite a few burger recipes, and I enjoy all of them very much, this particular burger is one I have been grilling up this Summer to some wonderful reviews from friends and family.
I have named this burger recipe my "E Burger" in honor of my friend and world-class and renown Chef Emeril Lagasse!
I have modified a similar burger recipe he developed and added a few favorite ingredients of my own!
So... give it a try next time your thinking about burgers and want something a little different!!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!

E Burger... By "The Big Dog"

While ingredient amounts will change based on number of burgers prepared, for the purpose of this article, amounts are based on two burgers (I like Big Burgers!).

  1. In your favorite frying pan, begin by frying up eight pieces of thick cut bacon on your grill or stove top. Once fried, reserve four pieces for topping the burgers later. Crumble or chop up the remaining bacon and set aside.
  2. Chop one medium sized yellow onion and one head / bulb of garlic. Without draining the bacon fat in the pan, add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute for around 5 minutes or until about halfway cooked. Then add the crumbled bacon to the onion and garlic and saute for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Upon completion, drain and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a mixing bowl, add one pound of good ground chuck, splash of Worcestershire Sauce, couple of pinches of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, small container (4 to 5 tablespoons) of crumbles feta or sun dried tomato feta cheese AND then the slightly cooled sauteed onion, garlic and bacon mixture.
  4. Mix ingredients together and make into two large thick burgers!!
  5. Place on a medium hot grill and cook till preferred. About ten minutes a side for medium well burgers.
  6. Before burgers are taken off the grill, place two strips of the reserved bacon on each burger and top that with two slices of sharp cheddar cheese on each burger and melt.
  7. Once cheese is melted, remove burgers to rest for a few minutes. While burgers are resting, butter your burger bun of choice (I like ciabatta or brioche buns) and toast on the grill.        Don't walk away... it wont take long!
  8. Once buns are toasted, lets construct our burger!! Place burger on bun and spread a little mayo (or if you prefer your favorite condiments go for it!) on bun. Then top your burger with one slice of tomato and one piece of iceberg lettuce for that great crisp cool crunch!!
  9. Now I have to add this little addition... Occasionally I will add a fried egg on top of this burger as well if I'm REALLY hungry but its totally optional!!
  10. Now pair with a wonderful Pinot Noir like a 2012 Black Dog Cellars "Zoie's Run" Russian River Valley or a 2012 Black Dog Cellars Haney Family Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and have a fantastic dinner!!!
  11. Cheers and Bon Appetite!!! Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
So if your feeling "burger adventurous", give my "E Burger" a try and see what you think!!

Thanks again for stopping by "The Big Dog's Blog"! Look for another new post coming soon and Cheers everyone!!!

Mike

Owner / "Big Dog"
Black Dog Cellars