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A side angle shot of a finished grilled blue cheese burger atop a plate. The plate sits atop a white and black window-pane patterned linen napkin that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. The burger is sandwiched between a burger bun with sliced tomato and lettuce sandwiched underneath and creamy blue cheese sauce atop the burger patty. Three burger patties and crunch apple slaw sit alongside the burger on the same plate. In the foreground rests a small ceramic bowl filled with creamy blue cheese sauce with a gold spoonful of creamy blue cheese sauce resting on the bowl.

Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers with Bacon & Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Sandwiches & Burgers, Main Dishes, Beef Recipes
  • Method: Grilling & Smoking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers are one of our all-time favorite summer dinners here at the PWWB House!

Inspired by a version my mother-in-law often makes – Chris is absolutely smitten with them! – these grass-fed beef burger patties are studded with crumbled bleu cheese & crispy bits of bacon. Simply grill until perfectly charred & serve with cool & creamy blue cheese sauce & fresh & crunchy apple slaw for amazing textural contrast.

Since the ingredients list is simple, it’s important to use the best you can find. Grab a nice blue cheese (as mild or pungent as you like!) & be sure to look for New Zealand grass-fed ground beef – it has seriously bold & earthy flavor that’s great for grilling. (Check the Recipe Notes, below, to learn more about New Zealand grass-fed beef!)

Simple enough for a weeknight meal but also special enough for summer celebrations like Father’s Day, I hope you love these Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers just as much as we do! ♡

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound New Zealand grass-fed ground beef
  • 8 slices center-cut bacon (about 6 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: burger buns, crunchy apple slaw (see Recipe Notes) or other toppings of choice (e.g. lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, etc.), condiments of choice (e.g. bleu cheese sauce (below), mustard, etc.)

for the creamy blue cheese sauce: 

  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to seasonBlue cheese burgers ingredients arranged on a dark gray textured surface: New Zealand grass-fed ground beef, bacon, blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, kosher salt & ground black pepper, mayonnaise, buttermilk, chives, and garlic powder.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium heat, about 450-500 degrees F.Weber Genesis II Propane Grill on a deck.
  2. Par-cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a skillet over medium heat (on the stove, not the grill). Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until the bacon begins to render but is not totally crispy. The goal is to simply par-cook the bacon since it’ll finish cooking in the blue cheese burger patties on the grill. Remove from the heat. Once cool enough to handle, finely chop into small pieces.How to make blue cheese burgers, step 2: Par-cook the bacon. Five pieces of center-cut bacon par-cook in a stainless steel frying pan. The frying pan rests atop a dark gray textured surface with a black and white window-pane patterned linen napkin placed alongside.
  3. Form the blue cheese burger patties: To a medium bowl, add the New Zealand grass-fed ground beef, chopped par-cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, & Dijon mustard. Season generously with ground black pepper as desired. Use your hands to mix until just combined – overworking the blue cheese burger mixture will lead to tough burgers, so take care not to overmix. Divide the burger mixture into 4 even portions, about 1/3 pound (5.3 ounces) each. Using your hands or a burger press/mold, form each portion into a 1-inch thick patty, pressing a small indent in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from swelling on the grill. Place the formed blue cheese burger patties on a plate or a small baking sheet. Set aside. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="29138,29140"]
  4. Mix the creamy blue cheese sauce: Add the mayonnaise & buttermilk to a medium bowl, whisking well to combine. Fold in the crumbled blue cheese, chives, & garlic powder. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine, tasting & adjusting seasonings as desired. Set aside for blue cheese burger assembly, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. How to make blue cheese burgers, step 4: Mix the creamy blue cheese sauce. A small glass mixing bowl sits atop a dark gray textured surface filled with the ingredients to make a creamy blue cheese sauce: mayonnaise, buttermilk, crumbled blue cheese, chives, garlic powder, and a gold spoon for mixing. Surrounding the bowl is a white ceramic bowl filled with ground black pepper, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, a white and black window-pane patterned linen napkin, a stainless steel measuring cup that was filled with mayonnaise, and a small white ceramic bowl filled with blue cheese crumbles.
  5. Grill the blue cheese burgers: Just before placing the burgers on the grill, generously oil a wad of paper towels. Use grilling tongs to run the oiled paper towels over the grill grates, generously oiling the grates. Place the blue cheese burger patties directly on the grill grates. Grill 3-5 minutes per side, keeping the grill lid closed as the burgers cook. If you’d like to top your blue cheese burgers with cheese, do so when there are 2 minutes left of grilling time. Once cooked to desired doneness (3 minutes per side yields medium doneness on our grill), transfer the blue cheese burger patties to a small baking sheet or plate & let rest for a couple minutes before serving. Four grilled blue cheese burger patties arranged atop a ceramic plate sit a dark gray textured surface. Surrounding the plate is a bowl of creamy blue cheese sauce, another plate filled with sliced tomato and lettuce, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, a small ceramic bowl filled with crunchy apple slaw, and burger buns resting atop a white and black window-pane patterned linen napkin.
  6. Serve blue cheese burgers as desired, on toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, & a generous spoonful of the prepared blue cheese sauce. Enjoy!A side angle shot of a finished grilled blue cheese burger atop a plate with a large bite taken out of it. The plate sits atop a white and black window-pane patterned linen napkin that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. The burger is sandwiched between a burger bun with sliced tomato and lettuce sandwiched underneath and creamy blue cheese sauce atop the burger patty. Three burger patties and crunch apple slaw sit alongside the burger on the same plate. In the foreground rests a small ceramic bowl filled with creamy blue cheese sauce.

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes:
    • New Zealand grass-fed ground beef: If you’ve never tried it before, the quality & flavor of New Zealand grass-fed beef is absolutely incredible! New Zealand cattle graze in beautiful & biodiverse green pastures, which results in naturally leaner grass-fed beef with extra bold, earthy flavor. It’s perfect for blue cheese burgers & anything else you throw on the grill this summer! Learn more & find New Zealand grass-fed beef at a store near you! 
    • Blue cheese: The awesome creamy, funkiness of blue cheese (bleu cheese, gorgonzola) pairs really well with the naturally rich & earthy flavor of New Zealand grass-fed ground beef. Like any other cheese, there are many varieties of blue cheese with differing amounts of flavor, funk, & pungence, so you can make your burgers as mild or as funky as you like based on the blue cheese you use. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, the flavors in this burger (& the crunchy apple slaw, below), also work well with sharp white cheddar. Swap the crumbled blue cheese for an equal amount of freshly grated sharp white cheddar.  
    • Easy buttermilk substitute: Buttermilk’s tanginess is key for a blue cheese sauce with rich flavor. If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 scant teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar to a scant 1/4 cup milk of choice. Let the mixture sit for a minute to thicken slightly, then stir to combine. 
    • Easy Add-On ⇢ Crunchy Apple Slaw: With a little extra slicing, you can serve your blue cheese burger with an awesome crunchy apple slaw, using some of the blue cheese sauce as an easy slaw dressing! To a large bowl, combine 2 cups finely shredded cabbage (about 1/2 small cabbage), 2 Granny Smith apples (cored & julienned into fine strips), & 1 small red onion (thinly sliced). Spoon some of the blue cheese sauce over top, squeezing the juice of 1 lemon & seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine well, tasting to adjust seasonings as desired. This slaw is great served right on the grilled blue cheese burgers or as a simple creamy-tangy side dish. 
  • Stovetop blue cheese burgers: If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, you can also cook these blue cheese burgers on the stovetop using a grill pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the blue cheese burgers, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pan, & cook according to Step 5 of Recipe Directions, above.
  • 10-15 Minute Meal Prep: While there’s a few components involved in this blue cheese burger recipe, you can easily cut down on active prep time at dinnertime by prepping one or two in advance. Pick & choose from:
    • Prep the blue cheese sauce according to Step 4 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (10 minutes active prep)
    • Prep & form the blue cheese burger patties according to Steps 2-3 of Recipe Directions above. Transfer the formed patties to an airtight container, separating them with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’d like to make dinner, simply preheat the grill & get cookin’ – easy! (15 minutes active prep)

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/blue-cheese-burgers-with-bacon/