Bobby Flay’s
Pimiento Cheese–
Bacon Burgers
Burgers are almost always a
childhood revelation that never leaves
your taste memory. It’s the quintessential sandwich, the most satisfying
meal possible—at least in my book.
Bobby Flay ( bobbyflay.com), a New York Times best-selling author, is the chef-owner of the restaurants Gato,
Bar Americain, Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay Steak and numerous Bobby’s Burger Palaces. He is the host of many
cooking shows on the Food Network and the Cooking
Channel, as well as the online series Bobby Flay Fit.
1 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne
¾ pound extra-sharp white cheddar
cheese, coarsely grated
¾ pound extra-sharp yellow cheddar
cheese, coarsely grated
1 cup drained, finely diced, jarred
roasted red bell peppers
1½ pounds 80% lean ground chuck
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
8 slices double-smoked bacon,
cooked until crisp
Fresh cilantro leaves
Whisk together the mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon
salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and the cayenne in a large bowl. Add the cheddar
cheeses and roasted peppers, and gently
fold until combined. Cover and refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes.
Heat your grill to high for direct grilling.
Form the meat into 4 uniform, fairly flat patties, each no thicker than ¾ inch, and then
make a deep depression in the center of
each with your thumb. Brush both sides with
oil and season liberally with salt and black
pepper. Grill until golden brown, slightly
charred on both sides and cooked to medium, about 4 minutes per side. During the last
minute of cooking, spoon a dollop of the
cheese mixture on top of each burger, close
the cover and cook until the cheese has just
melted, about 1 minute.
Put the burgers on the buns and top each
with 2 slices of bacon and some cilantro
leaves. Makes 4 burgers.
Recipe reprinted from Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction,
by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally
Jackson. Copyright © 2013 by Boy Meets Grill Inc.
Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin
Random House.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
Bobby Flay
Pro tips
Shape your beef. Handle the
ground beef as minimally as
possible. I like to form the
ground beef into disks using a
4-inch ring mold. Put a small
sheet of plastic wrap over the
ring mold and, using your
palm, gently press the
portioned ground beef into
the mold. The meat should be
firmly packed and evenly
distributed. Pop the patty out
with the plastic wrap and
put onto a baking sheet.
Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Salt your burger. The balance
of salt and fat is crucial.
Immediately before cooking,
liberally coat both sides of the
patty with salt, about ½
teaspoon on each side.
Buy decent buns. Great buns
are not too large, not too dry,
not too fatty and soft yet sturdy
enough to stand up to your
burger. The bread shouldn’t be
more difficult to bite through
than the patty itself.
Optimize the bun-to-meat
ratio. A good rule of thumb:
The thickness of each bun
half should be roughly equal
to that of the uncooked patty.
Don’t use tongs. When
cooking, turn the burgers with
a spatula. A spatula allows
easy flipping and won’t break
the patty in half.—CK
Adapted with permission from A Burger
to Believe In, by Chris Kronner and
Paolo Lucchesi.