Bacon-Wrapped Barbecue Burgers

For 4 burgers:

8 bacon slices

1 (4.5-oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained and chopped

1/2 C. chopped Vidalia or sweet onion

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 C. bottled honey barbecue sauce, divided

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

wooden picks

1/4 tsp. salt

4 sesame seed hamburger buns, toasted

Arrange bacon on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate; cover with a paper towel. Microwave bacon at HIGH 2 minutes or until edges begin to crinkle and bacon is partially cooked.
Sauté mushrooms and onion in hot oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce.
Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Shape ground beef into 8 (5-inch) thin patties. Place 2 Tbsp. mushroom mixture in center of each of 4 patties. Top with remaining patties, pressing edges to seal. Shape into 4-inch patties. Wrap sides of each patty with 2 bacon slices, overlapping ends of each slice. Secure bacon using wooden picks. Sprinkle patties with salt. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
Grill patties, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat 5 to 6 minutes on 1 side. Turn and baste with half of remaining barbecue sauce. Grill 5 to 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink in center. Turn and baste with remaining barbecue sauce. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove wooden picks. Serve burgers on buns, and top with remaining mushroom mixture.

Shrimp Burgers

For 4 burgers:

1 1/4 lb unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)

Vegetable cooking spray

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

3 Tbsp. finely chopped celery

2 Tbsp. chopped green onion

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 1/4 C. crushed cornbread crackers (about 1 sleeve or 24 crackers, such as Town House Bistro Corn Bread Crackers)

4 Kaiser rolls with poppy seeds, split

sweet & spicy tartar sauce, recipe follows

4 Bibb lettuce leaves

garnish with grilled lemon halves, if desired

Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Cut each shrimp into thirds.

Line a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil. Coat with cooking spray.
Stir together egg and next 4 ingredients until blended; stir in celery, green onion, and parsley. Fold in shrimp and cracker crumbs (mixture will be very thick). Shape into 4 (4-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick) patties. Place patties on prepared pan. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours. Transfer to freezer, and freeze 30 minutes.
Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Grill burgers, covered with grill lid, 4 to 5 minutes or until burgers lift easily from cooking grate using a large spatula. Turn burgers, and grill 4 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and burgers are cooked through and lightly crisp.
Grill buns, cut sides down, 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Serve burgers on buns with Sweet 'n' Spicy Tartar Sauce, a good squeeze of lemon juice, if desired, and lettuce. 

Helpful Tip: Freezing the burgers before grilling is the key to ensuring they hold together on the grill.

Sweet & Spicy Tartar Sauce

1 C. mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. horseradish

1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. paprika

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill 30 minutes to 24 hours.

Sweet and Savory Burgers

For 8 burgers:

1/4 C. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 lb. ground beef

1/4 C. chili sauce

1/4 C. hot red pepper jelly

8 hamburger buns, toasted

Toppings: grilled sweet onion and pineapple slices

Stir together first 6 ingredients. Reserve 3 Tbsp. mixture; cover and chill. Pour remaining soy sauce mixture into a shallow pan or baking dish.
Shape beef into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) patties; place in a single layer in soy sauce mixture in pan, turning to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours.
Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove patties from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill patties, covered with grill lid, 5 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink in center, basting occasionally with reserved 3 Tbsp. soy sauce mixture.

Stir together chili sauce and jelly. Serve burgers on buns with chili sauce mixture and desired toppings.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

For 6 burgers:

1 1/2 C. mesquite wood chips

1/3 C. olive oil

1 Tbsp. pressed or minced garlic

1 medium-sized red onion, cut into 6 slices

6 large portobello mushroom caps

6 hamburger buns, split

1 C. light mayonnaise

1/3 C. chopped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

6 romaine lettuce leaves

2 tomatoes, cut into 6 slices each

Soak wood chips in water at least 30 minutes; drain.
Prepare a charcoal fire on grill; scatter wood chips over hot coals.
Whisk together oil and garlic; brush on both sides of onion and mushrooms.
Grill onion and mushrooms, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 4 minutes on each
side or until tender. Grill bun halves, cut sides down, 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Stir together mayonnaise and next 5 ingredients. Layer 6 bottom bun halves evenly with lettuce, onion, mushroom, mayonnaise mixture, and 2 tomato slices; top with remaining bun halves.

Big Juicy Burgers

For 10 burgers:

1 (11.5-ounce) can lightly tangy vegetable juice (such as V8)

3 white sandwich bread slices, torn into pieces

3 lb ground chuck or ground round

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

10 of your favorite hamburger buns

vegetable cooking spray

your favorite toppings

Microwave vegetable juice in glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute. Add bread pieces; let cool. Combine, using hands.
Combine vegetable juice mixture, ground chuck, and next 3 ingredients. Shape into 10 patties of equal size.
Grill patties, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink.

Spray cut sides of buns with cooking spray; place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hamburgers on buns with your favorite toppings.

Sausage Burgers

For 4 burgers:

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, quartered lengthwise then sliced

2 Cubanelle peppers, seeded and halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 C. beef stock

1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage

1 lb ground sirloin

1 Tbsp. grill seasoning

2 large cloves garlic, pressed or grated

A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

8 deli slices provolone cheese

4 sesame Kaiser rolls, split 

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms, onions and peppers until tender, 7 to 8 minutes then season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with stock.
Combine the sausage and sirloin  with grill seasoning, garlic and parsley. Mix and form 4 patties thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking and to keep burgers from bulging.

Heat cast iron or nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, cook patties 6 min. on each side and top with mushrooms, onions and peppers and 2 slices of cheese. Turn heat off and cover pan with foil to melt cheese, 2 minutes. Pile on buns and serve.

Spicy Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers

For 4 burgers:

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, undrained

2 lb lean ground beef

2 tsp. steak seasoning (such as Montreal Steak Seasoning)

1/2 (10-ounce) package cheddar cheese, cut into 4 thick slices (Cracker Barrel recommended)  

4 sesame seed hamburger buns

Toppings: tomato slices, red onion slices, romaine lettuce leaves, yellow mustard, mayonnaise

Process chipotle peppers in a blender until smooth. Measure 4 tsp. puree, reserving remainder for another use, if desired.
Combine 4 tsp. puree, ground beef, and steak seasoning in a large bowl until blended. (Do not overwork meat mixture.) Shape mixture into 8 (4-inch) patties; place 1 cheese slice on each of 4 patties. Top with remaining 4 patties, pressing edges to seal. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.

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