Cowboy Burgers

This amazingly flavorful burger was inspired by my local Whole Foods. There are days when I’m standing at the meat counter at 5:00 p.m. staring longingly at all the pre-prepped foods, wishing they were not breaded or didn’t contain sugar or canola oil. In this instance, the burgers were right next to the panko-breaded chicken, which meant that they were also unsafe for my celiac hubby. So I headed home and made my own version with quality grass-fed beef, pastured bacon, and fresh organic veggies. Not a breadcrumb or a drop of canola oil in sight! My husband and I enjoy our burgers without any sort of bun, but sometimes my kiddos want that traditional combo. So I keep my Paleo English Muffins (see here) on hand in the freezer for such occasions.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 slices bacon, cut into thirds
• 1 large jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 small shallot, sliced in half
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1½ pounds ground beef

Makes 4 burgers

Prep Day:

1. In a food processor, pulse the bacon, jalapeño, shallot, and garlic until finely chopped and mixed well.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, gently combine the bacon mixture, cheese (if using), and ground beef with your hands.
3. Divide the burger mixture into fourths, and shape into 4 patties.
4. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Place the patties on the wax paper, making sure they don’t touch one another. Place the baking sheet in the freezer.
5. When the burger patties are semi-frozen, place them in a zip-top freezer bag with small pieces of wax paper separating them. Freeze until needed.

Serving Day:

1. Thaw the burgers in the refrigerator overnight.
2. When ready to cook, grill the burgers over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. You can also cook them in a skillet with 1 TBSP coconut oil over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side.

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