Gorgonzola Stuffed Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Drizzle

If my husband hadn’t already proposed to me 10 years ago (I said yes), he probably would have proposed on the spot after eating this burger. For reals.  This is that kind of burger, friends.

We’ll be celebrating Independence Day in the U.S. next week and I bet if you put this on your menu it would be a huge hit.

Seasoning the ground beef with Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic and fresh rosemary adds tons of extra flavor to these burgers.   The balsamic drizzle and caramelized onions make it extra special.

Instead of buns or rolls, I decided I wanted to make the burgers more like our favorite burgers from BSF in Greenwich, CT, so I used thick slices of toasted garlic parmesan French bread–not the good stuff, just a basic loaf from the grocery store.  It worked perfectly.

How do you like your burgers?  Are you a meat-lover?  Do you go the turkey route?  Are veggie burgers more your style?

I’m thinking of making a vegetarian version for me sometime soon–a portabello mushroom stuffed with goat cheese with the onions and balsamic.  Mmm…I’m already dreaming about it.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Drizzle

original recipe

Ingredients:

For caramelized onions:

2 Tbsp. olive oil (canola or butter would also be fine)
2-3 onions, thinly sliced
salt

For balsamic drizzle:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

For burgers:

2 lbs. ground beef (or half lamb, half beef)
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (from 1 lg. sprig)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 large clove garlic
4-6 oz. sliced or crumbled Gorgonzola (or more if you really want a lot of cheese)

Instructions:

 For caramelized onions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat for a few seconds. Add the onions (they should sizzle). Cook while stirring, lowering the heat a bit, until the onions start to decrease in volume and soften. Sprinkle the onions with a little salt and adjust the heat to low and let the onions continue to cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown.  Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use or store in the refrigerator for about a week.

For balsamic drizzle:

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring the vinegar to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until vinegar reduces by about half and becomes syrupy. (It will thicken as it cools.) Keep warm or at room temperature until ready to assemble burgers.

For burgers:

Smash the garlic clove on a cutting board with the flat side of a large chef’s knife and your hand. Roughly chop and sprinkle with the salt. Using the side of the knife again, put pressure on the knife with your hand while sliding the knife across the cutting board. Continue smashing and chopping the garlic and salt until a paste forms, cleaning off the sides of the knife frequently.

In a large mixing bowl, very gently mix together the ground beef with the Worcestershire, rosemary, pepper, and garlic paste.

Divide the meat into 6 equal portions, then divide each portion into two slightly uneven halves. Using the larger half of each portion, form a patty about 5″ in diameter. Place some of the cheese in the center of the patty.

Press the smaller half of the meat into a smaller patty and place on top of the cheese. Pinch the meat together around the edge to seal it in.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook each patty, working in two batches, on each side for about 4 minutes, or until the burger is cooked through and the cheese has melted. (It will probably ooze a little, but it’s okay, most of the cheese will stay inside.)

To assemble the burgers:
Place a burger on top of one piece of toasted bread. Top with some of the caramelized onions and drizzle liberally with the balsamic syrup. Serve hot.

Makes 6, 4 oz. (precooked weight) burgers