Shelly's Recipe

PEPPER JACK STUFFED BURGERS

Category: Burgers

2 1/4 lbs ground chuck
1 small white onion, grated
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Country Bob's Original All Purpose Sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
8 slivers (about 1/4 oz each) pepper jack cheese
8 hamburger buns
Butter
Optional toppings: Cooked bacon, lettuce, sliced avocado, tomato, pickle

Place the ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Add the grated onion to the top; set aside.

In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, Country Bob's and chili powder. Remove and reserve 1/4 cup the sauce mixture for basting and to use later as a condiment. Add the remaining sauce mixture into the ground chuck and onion; mix well.

Spray a large baking pan with non-stick spray. Scoop out about 1/3 cup the meat mixture at a time, forming into 16 balls and set them on the baking pan. Return 8 of them to the bowl and shape the remaining 8 balls into equal sized patties on the baking sheet. Top those 8 patties with a slice of the cheese. Flatten the remaining 8 balls into patties and place them on top of the cheese. Pinch the edges all around each burger to seal them closed and gently reshape. Place the tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes just to set a bit.

While the burgers are chilling in the freezer, butter each side of the hamburger buns, return them to the pkg and set aside.

Prepare the charcoal for direct heat cooking or preheat grill to high. Grill on the first side for about 6 minutes. Turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Brush with sauce and cook another minute; turn, brush the other side with sauce and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until cooked through, or an instant read thermometer inserted into the side registers at least 160 degrees. Do not press on the patties while they cook! You will force out all of the juices and end up with dry burgers.

In the last couple of minutes of cooking, remove about 2 tbsp the sauce from the 1/4 cup you reserved, and brush the patties with the sauce mixture. Remove burgers to a tray and cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to keep warm; set aside.

Place the buns on the grill uncovered, just long enough to lightly toast. Keep an eye on them - they'll burn up quick! Serve the burgers with the remaining sauce as a condiment and any other desired toppings.