Gourmet Burger Recipe
This gourmet burger recipe is my idea of a perfect weekend dinner. The Cabernet reduction gives the beef a deep, rich flavor, and the melted blue cheese ties everything together.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 750 ml Cabernet Sauvignon, good quality bottle
- ¼ cup shallots, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided in half
- 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temp, divided
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (Gorgonzola or Roquefort are great, too)
- 6 whole ciabatta buns, or brioche buns/burger buns, split horizontally
- 2 whole tomatoes, freshly sliced
- lettuce leaves, enough for burgers
Instructions
- Combine wine and shallots in a heavy medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce to a low-medium boil and keep it going for 20-30 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to 2/3 cup worth.
- Add fresh rosemary, 1 TB butter, and brown sugar. Cook and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat to cool a bit.
- Saute mushrooms, olive oil, and 2 tsp garlic until mushrooms are just tender. Drain and set aside.
- In small bowl, combine remaining butter with garlic. Melt the butter in microwave, and spread on split Ciabatta buns. Set aside.
- Mix fresh ground beef, salt, pepper, and half of the wine sauce. Form into six even burger patties.
- Grill burgers until desired doneness, basting generously with remaining wine sauce continually. Sprinkle tops of patties with blue cheese crumbles and keep warm until cheese melts.
- Grill buns with buttered sides down, until nicely toasted. Alternatively, buns can be toasted in oven's broiler or in toaster oven.
- Arrange burgers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and lettuce on buns. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use wine you enjoy drinking. The flavor intensifies as it reduces, so pick a Cabernet you’d happily sip alongside your meal.
- Let the wine sauce thicken slightly. A glossy, syrupy consistency will cling better to the burgers and add deeper flavor.
- Keep the beef cold until shaping. Cold meat holds its form better and helps the patties stay juicy on the grill.
- Mix the beef gently. Overmixing can make the burgers dense instead of tender.
- Grill over medium-high heat. This gives the patties a nice sear while keeping the inside moist.
- Baste often with the wine sauce. It builds layers of flavor and keeps the burgers from drying out.
- Toast the buns right before serving. Warm, crisp buns soak up the juices without getting soggy.
- Let the burgers rest for a few minutes. This helps the juices redistribute so every bite stays flavorful.
- Choose sturdy buns. Ciabatta or brioche buns hold up best to the juicy patties and rich toppings.
- Pair with the same Cabernet. Serving the same wine used in the sauce ties the whole meal together beautifully.
- Variations: Feel free to vary the type of cheese (gorgonzola, feta, or roquefort would all work well). If desired, omit mushrooms.
- This recipe is part of our Grill and BBQ Recipes Collection.
- We love serving this burger with some Air Fryer French Fries (Extra Crispy) or a batch of golden Sweet Potato Fries for a classic pairing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Serving: 1g | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 4mg