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Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Fig Onion Jam

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Cooking twine
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large Vidalia onions or any other sweet onions sliced thin
  • 4 fresh figs diced
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Burger

  • 1 1/2 lb 80% lean ground beef
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tsp cooking oil.
  • 4 pretzel burger buns cut in half
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese sliced

Equipment & Utensils

  • Large skillet
  • Cooking tray

Instructions

Fig Onion Jam

  • Tie lemon thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with cooking twine and set aside.
  • Heat oil in skillet on high heat.
  • When oil is hot add onions and bundle of herbs.
  • Saute onions for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add figs and mix throughly and saute for another 3 minutes. Figs will break down quickly.
  • Lower heat to medium.
  • Sprinkle sugar over onions and allow sugar to melt.
  • Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and mix thoroughly.
  • Raise heat to high and saute until liquid reduces by half.
  • Remove from heat and cover, the flavors will continue to merge.

    Burger

    • Split ground beef into four and mold into burger patties, just a little wider than the base of one of the pretzel buns.
    • Ensure the center of each patty is thinner as the patty will rise in the middle when it cooks.
    • Season both sides of each patty liberally with salt and pepper.
    • Heat oil in skillet on high heat
    • Tilt the skillet as needed to spread the oil around.
    • Carefully place patties in the skillet and cook to desired temperature. Lower heat as needed.
    • Remove patties from skillet and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
    • Lower heat to medium and place burger bun halves cut side down in skillet and allow them to heat through and soak up the meat juices.
    • Remove buns from skillet and place the base of each burger bun on cooking tray.
    • Place a cooked patty on top of each base then top with a generous mound of fig onion jam.
    • Place one or two slices of cheese on top of onion jam and place under a hot broiler to melt the cheese. Make sure the broiler is nice and hot so that the cheese melts quickly.
    • Once cheese has melted place burger buns tops on top and serve immediately.