Ingredients
Pimiento Cheese Topping
½ cup shredded yellow sharp cheddar (about 6 oz.)
1 ½ oz. (3 tbsp.) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 ½ tsp. yellow mustard
1 small clove garlic, grated or pasted
½ tsp. Frank’s RedHot or other hot sauce
½ tsp. granulated onion
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup well-drained diced pimiento peppers (from a 4-oz. jar)
Burgers
8 slices meaty bacon
1 ½ lb. g round beef sirloin (80% lean) or ground turkey
Salt and pepper
About 3 to 4 tbsp. grated onion with juices
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. safflower oil or canola oil
Fixings
4 sesame seed burger buns (I like Big Marty’s)
Sliced bread-and-butter pickles, chopped white onion, lettuce, and sliced tomato, for topping
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°. For the topping, in a food processor, puree all the ingredients except the pimientos. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the pimientos.
Step 2
Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan or a wire rack set in a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
In a bowl, season the beef with salt and pepper. Mix in the grated onion with juices and the Worcestershire. Form into 4 patties (thinner in the centers for even cooking). Heat a large griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high. Add the oil, one turn of the pan. Add the patties and cook, turning occasionally, for 7 to 9 minutes.
Step 4
Build the burgers with the bun bottoms, pickles, chopped onion, the patties, pimiento cheese topping, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and bun tops.
