Not Your Average Burger

Description

This is the type of burger that *may* reach up and stop your heart from the depths of your stomach. Or, perhaps, even as you try to put it in your mouth. This is not for "burger beginners". This burger incorporates ridiculous amounts of flavors that you're going to initially say "No, no.", but I'm here to say, "Yes, yes."

Summary

Yield
Servings
Sourcehttp://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Main-Dish/Easy-All-American-Burgers.aspx
Prep time
5 hours
Cooking time
20 minutes
Total time
5 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb
80/20 Ground Beef
1 pk
McCormick® All-American Burger Seasoning Mix
1  
Onion (Sliced in eighths)
1 c
Mushrooms (Rinsed, sliced into quarters)
1 T
Olive Oil
1  
Tomato
4 sli
Lettuce
4 sli
Cheese (Choose something on the mild side.)
8 sli
Thick-cut Maple Bacon
 
Stolen from McCormick.com

Instructions

Mix ground beef and McCormick® All-American Burger Seasoning Mix together, quarter and form into patties. Refrigerate ~5 hours. I don't know that this is important, but my burgers were outstanding, and that's what I did.

While grilling/frying burgers, fry onions and mushrooms with olive oil, until onions are opaque and only slightly caramelized. Fry bacon in another pan, or prepare in microwave.

To assemble:

  • Split buns.
  • Miracle Whip (Mayo will not suffice) on top half.
  • Ketchup on bottom half.
  • Patty on bottom half.
  • Cheese on top of patty.
  • Bacon on top of cheese.
  • Fried onions/mushrooms on top of bacon.
  • Tomato on top of onions/mushrooms.
  • Lettuce on top of tomato.
  • Top with other bun half.

The assembly really is key here. 

Notes

The order in which these items hits your tongue is, actually, important. I know it sounds like every other burger out there, but here's the key thing: vinegar (ketchup) + savory (meat) + fat (cheese) + sweet (maple bacon) + sweet/texture (onion/mushrooms) + crunch (lettuce/tomato) + fat (miracle whip for taste distribution). You'll be hitting almost all of the taste buds on your tongue simultaneously. Expect the mouthgasm...you're welcome.

For those of you who like texture as much as taste, this is a recipe for you as well. The onion/mushroom and maple bacon was a super unexpected AMAZING combo. I know in my head that these things work together, I'd just forgotten, and surprised myself.

The only thing that could've made this better would have been a fried egg on top, but, really, as soon as you try to put this bad boy in your mouth, you'll see why that's just not possible.

This recipe has been adapted from the one on McCormick.com.