Farmhouse Bacon Cheeseburger
Recipe from The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn
After reading several books and articles on Americans and the hamburgers they love, my mother found that people's favorite sauces were different takes on Thousand Island dressing (ketchup and mayo). At one of our family tastings, Mike Colletti, a chef I met at Le Cirque, and I came up with our twist on it—we locked ourselves in the kitchen and added a little something to the sauce to give it a real kick.
More from Spike Mendelsohn's classic menu
More from Spike Mendelsohn's classic menu
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
Burgers
- 30 ounces ground sirloin
- 6 potato buns , cut in half
- 1 pound applewood-smoked bacon
- 6 slices American cheese
- 6 leaves iceberg lettuce
- 6 slices tomato
- 6 slices red onion
- 12 slices pickle
- Canola oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Good Stuff Sauce (below)
Good Stuff Sauce
- 2 cups Homemade Basic Mayonnaise (below)
- 2 Tbsp. ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. molasses
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. salt
Homemade Basic Mayonnaise
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 cups grapeseed oil
Directions
To make Homemade Basic Mayonnaise: Add the eggs, mustard, vinegar and salt to a food processor or blender. Process for 30 seconds in the food processor, or for 10 seconds in the blender. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil slowly at first, then add in a thin, steady stream until all the oil is added and the mixture is smooth. Stop the motor and taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little hot water. If too thin, process a little longer. The mayonnaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make Good Stuff Sauce: Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses, vinegar and salt to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make burgers: To make the patties, roll six 5-ounce sirloin balls, and form each ball into a patty. Arrange on a tray, cover and refrigerate. Line a plate with paper towels.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add just enough oil to cover the entire bottom. When the oil begins to smoke, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Drain off the fat from the skillet, but do not wipe clean.
Reduce the heat to medium and place the patties into the same skillet. Season the patties with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Place 3 strips of bacon and 1 slice of the cheese on each patty and continue to cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare doneness. Cover with a lid for the last 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Toast the buns. Set aside.
To assemble the burgers, place 1 patty on 1 toasted bun bottom. Top the patty with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice and 2 pickle slices. Dress with some of the sauce. Cover with the bun top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Don't forget to wrap the sandwiches in waxed paper. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes and serve.
Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown: Double the amount of ground sirloin, make double the number of burgers and layer 2 patties in each sandwich.
To make Good Stuff Sauce: Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses, vinegar and salt to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make burgers: To make the patties, roll six 5-ounce sirloin balls, and form each ball into a patty. Arrange on a tray, cover and refrigerate. Line a plate with paper towels.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add just enough oil to cover the entire bottom. When the oil begins to smoke, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Drain off the fat from the skillet, but do not wipe clean.
Reduce the heat to medium and place the patties into the same skillet. Season the patties with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Place 3 strips of bacon and 1 slice of the cheese on each patty and continue to cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare doneness. Cover with a lid for the last 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Toast the buns. Set aside.
To assemble the burgers, place 1 patty on 1 toasted bun bottom. Top the patty with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice and 2 pickle slices. Dress with some of the sauce. Cover with the bun top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Don't forget to wrap the sandwiches in waxed paper. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes and serve.
Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown: Double the amount of ground sirloin, make double the number of burgers and layer 2 patties in each sandwich.
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