NEW ZEALAND GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF
CENTER-CUT BACON
CRUMBLED BLUE CHEESE
WOrCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
DIJON MUSTARD
NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY
KOSHER SALT & GROUND BLACK PEPPER
FOR SERVING: BURGER BUNS & TOPPINGS OF CHOICE
KOSHER SALT & GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium heat, about 450-500 degrees F.
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.
Add the New Zealand grass-fed ground beef, chopped par-cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, & Dijon mustard to a medium bowl. Season generously with ground black pepper as desired and use hands to mix until just combined. Divide into 4 even portions then use hands to press into a burger press/mold to form a 1-inch thick patty. Press a small indent into center of each patty & place each formed burger patty onto a plate or small baking sheet & set aside.
If desired add 1/3 cup mayonnaise & 1/4 cup buttermilk to a medium bowl, whisk to combine. Fold in 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped chives, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to the mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper. Stir to combine & taste to adjust seasonings, as desired. Set aside for burger assembly.
Oil your preheated grill grates using a wad of paper towl & grilling tongs. Next, place the burger patties directly on the grill grates & grill for 3-5 minutes per side, keeping the lid closed as the burgers cook. If you'd like to top with cheese, place cheese atop patties with 2 minutes left of grilling time. Once cooked to desired doneness, transfer to a small baking sheet or plate & allow to rest for a couple of minutes.
Serve blue cheese burgers as desired, on toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, & a generous spoonful of the prepared blue cheese sauce. You're gonna love it!