Cheddar Burgers with Beer BBQ Sauce

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     One day recently I was in the grocery store check out lane and saw a small recipe booklet called, "Cooking with Beer." Yes, I was intrigued. After giving the little cookbook a really good glance-over as I waited in line, I went for it. The impulse buy was going home with me.

     While eating lunch that day, I studied my new purchase and bounced all kinds of ideas around my mind. Finally, I decided to try the "Western BBQ Burgers with Beer BBQ sauce." (That's what I had most of the ingredients for - notice I said "most.")
     As far as dinner that night . . . the burgers tasted just like my normal burgers because the beer was in the sauce. I'm not really sure why beer was in the sauce, because once you bring it to a boil, it's not really a factor except for liquid. It seems to me, that I just made the BBQ sauce a bit thinner. So I just slathered the sauce on both sides of the bun so that everything was coated, gooey and down right sloppy. Some things are just best eaten messy and this was one of them.
 

Cheddar Burgers with Beer BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. McCormick's hamburger seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup smoky BBQ sauce*

1/4 cup Michelob AmberBock beer

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper 

1 vidallia onion, sliced in 1/2-inch thick slices

4-5 slices cooked bacon

4-5 slices cheddar cheese, smoked if possible

4-5 buns

lettuce and tomato, optional

Preheat grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Shape burger into 4-5 patties. Sprinkle with hamburger seasoning and garlic powder. 

Combine BBQ sauce, salt, pepper and beer in small saucepan. Bring to boil for 1 minute and then set aside.

Cook burgers 8 -10 minutes, turning occasionally, until desired doneness.

On grill or in same skillet, cook onions 4-5 minutes until soft and slightly charred. Lay onion slice on top of burger.

To serve - drizzle 1 T. BBQ mixture on bottom bun. If using, place lettuce and tomato on bottom bun. Add cooked bacon and sliced cheese on top of burger. Drizzle with 1 T. BBQ. Close sandwich up and get a napkin.

* I used Stubbs Sweet and Heat.