Grilled Pork, Chorizo, & Applewood Smoked Bacon Burger

By Shannon2009

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, plus more for grilling
• 1/2 cup diced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced on the bias (we used about a teaspoon of chile de arbol powder)
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1/4 pound fresh Mexican Chorizo, casing removed
• 3 ounces bacon (preferably applewood smoked), finely diced
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• (For the burgers)
• 6 slices Manchego cheese
• 6 brioche or other good, soft hamburger buns
• sliced tomato, preferably heirloom
• aioli (see the recipe below)
• 2 ounces arugula
• (For the aioli)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 lemon, for juicing
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1

First the aioli. Place the clove of garlic on your chopping board and crush with the side of your knife. Sprinkle a little salt over the crushed garlic and proceed to smash the garlic and salt into the board, until it has formed into a paste. Add the garlic paste into a small bowl along with the mayonnaise and whisk to combine. Season with another pinch of salt, a squeeze of the lemon juice and the cayenne and give it another whisk. Taste for balance and seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Next, make the burgers.Heat a medium skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Add the olive oil and shallots. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for several minutes, stirring every once in a while, until the shallots start to soften. Add the garlic, thyme, cumin, and chile de arbol. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of black pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shallots become translucent. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the ground pork, chorizo, bacon, shallot mixture and parsley, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The meat mixture will probably feel pretty loose. Shape the meat into six 6-ounce pattys. Since I was making so many burgers, I found that using a kitchen scale was extremely helpful in getting them all the same size. Although we doubled the recipe, I was able to get 14 burgers.

Refrigerate the pattys for an hour or so. This lets the flavors meld and makes the burgers easier to handle.

Preheat your grill for several minutes on medium-high. Brush the burgers with olive oil and place oil side down on the grill and cook turn the heat down to medium. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes for the first side. Once the burgers are on the grill, don't touch them and definitely don't smoosh them with the spatula. That causes all the juices to run out and then you wind up with dry burgers.

Open the lid and quickly brush the top with a little more olive oil before flipping them over. Cook, covered, for 3 to 5 more minutes.

Place a piece of cheese on each burger and cover again, cooking for another two to three minutes.