Ingredients
- BURGERS:
- 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 pounds Certified Angus Beef ® brand ground chuck
- to & pepper to taste
- 1/2 1/2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8-12 8-12 slices 8-12 thin slices smoky Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 to 1 1/2 to 1 1 cup Bacon Jam
- 4 4 4 Poached eggs
- Green leaf lettuce
- 4 4 4 Burger buns
- BACON JAM:
- 1 1 1 pound thick cut bacon
- 2 2 2 cups large yellow onions, sliced
- 1 1 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 3 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1 1 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup water
- to and pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the bacon jam first if you don't have some already made. See note 1 below for my recipe
Heat a cast iron skillet over mid high heat or prepare the grill if grilling the burgers. Also, set a medium saucepan of water over medium heat on the stove top. Allow this to gently come to a boil while you are cooking the burgers. This will be the water you poach the eggs in when the burgers are resting.
Divide 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck into 4 equal patties and season each patty on both sides with salt and pepper to your liking.
Melt 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter in the hot skillet and add the burger patties. Allow to sear 3-5 minutes until a nice crust forms on the burger patty. Flip the burger patty over and sear the other side for 3-5 minutes to form a nice crust. Reduce the heat to medium and top each bun with 2-3 slices of smoky Gruyere cheese. Add an ice cube to the skillet and cover. The steam will melt the cheese quickly and nicely. As soon as the cheese is melted to your liking, remove the burgers from the skillet and let rest while you prepare the poached eggs. See note 2 below to learn how to prepare poached eggs.
While the eggs are poaching, toast the buns in the same skillet you used to make the burgers. Carefully wipe the skillet clean using tongs and a paper towel. Leave a little bit of fat behind in the skillet and place the buns in the skillet with the inside of the bun down. Toast lightly and remove from the skillet to a serving plate.
Top each of the bottom buns with some green leaf lettuce, a burger patty, a heaping spoonful of bacon jam (more or less to your liking), a poached egg, and the top bun. Serve and enjoy!
BACON JAM:
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with foil and top it with an oven safe rack if you have one. If not, you can cook the bacon right on the foil. Lay bacon pieces in a single layer on the rack (or on the foil), and place the baking sheet in the oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F and cook for 20-30 minutes until desired crispiness. You'll want the bacon pretty crispy for the bacon jam.
When the bacon is cooked to your liking, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Pat dry with a paper-towel to remove the bacon fat. Reserve the bacon fat left in the baking sheet.
Heat 2 tablespoons bacon fat over medium heat in a skillet. Add the onions and stir. Allow the onions to cook for about 10 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, chop the bacon and set aside. After about 10 minutes, you'll notice the onions are starting to turn a light golden color. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and stir in 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the chopped bacon and stir 1/2 cup water into bacon mixture. Cook until the overall color is a dark brown bacon color and has a jam consistency, about 15 minutes. Give the Bacon Jam a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Allow the bacon jam to cool slightly and transfer to a serving dish. Store bacon jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Cook time: 45 mins.
Total time: 60 mins.