Serves 4
50 min
Southern Pimento Cheese Burgers
Recipe GLPR1942a1696e6b82
Gourmet Southern-style burgers topped with a creamy pimento cheese spread, crispy applewood smoked bacon, and honey-sweetened coleslaw, finished with crushed kettle chips for a delightful crunch. These burgers combine sharp cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses with diced pimentos and tangy condiments for an unforgettable flavor profile.
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Ingredients
1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, room temperature
⅓ cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded, room temperature
5 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
2 ounces jarred diced pimento peppers, drained
1 tablespoon bread and butter pickle juice
½ tablespoon horseradish sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1¼ cups shredded cabbage
8 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
1¼ pounds ground chuck beef
¼ pound cured and smoked country ham, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 buns potato hamburger buns, split
½ cup crushed kettle-cooked plain potato chips
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, cream cheese, drained pimento peppers, pickle juice, horseradish sauce, and yellow mustard. Stir until all ingredients are fully incorporated to create the pimento cheese spread. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, honey, and shredded cabbage until the cabbage is evenly coated. This is your honey slaw. Set aside.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the bacon slices in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the bacon is crispy and browned on both sides. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off almost all of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving just a thin coating on the bottom.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck beef, finely chopped country ham, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Working gently and avoiding overworking the meat to prevent compacting, mix the ingredients together until just combined. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a patty that fits the size of your hamburger buns.
Place the grill pan back over medium-high heat with the thin layer of bacon fat still coating it. Cook the beef patties for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for 3 minutes on the second side, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for food safety. The patties should be cooked to medium doneness.
While the patties are cooking, place the split hamburger buns on a baking rack in your preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes until the buns are warm and lightly toasted. Place the serving plates in the oven as well to heat them through.
To assemble each burger, spread a generous amount of the pimento cheese mixture on both cut sides of a warm bun. On the bottom bun half, layer a thin amount of the honey slaw over the pimento cheese. Place one cooked beef patty on top of the slaw, then top the patty with 2 slices of crispy bacon. Sprinkle the crushed potato chips over the bacon, then crown with the top bun half. Repeat for the remaining three burgers.
Place all assembled burgers on a nonstick baking sheet and return to the 375°F oven for 1 minute to allow everything to meld together slightly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately on the warm plates.
