Whiskey Burger with Bacon, Onions, and Mushrooms

We get some terrific ground beef in our monthly CSA box and I thought burgers might be a nice treat for the weekly menu, and this one looked terrific! Bacon, mushrooms, onion, and a fantastic whiskey sauce make this burger one to remember and enjoy!

Unfortunately the burgers we made up were really on the "soft" side and I ended loosing a fair amount of them in the process of cooking them on the grill, and wish I'd used my indoor grill or been gentler with them in the process of flipping! They tasted fantastic though. :)

I did wish I'd thickened the sauce up a little more - added some cornstarch slurry to it, or reduced until it was thickened up enough to stay on top of the burger a little more; it dripped down around and was still super tasty, but made the bun a little soggy. My hubby and I agreed these could use a nice thick slice of melty sharp cheddar too - it would be a fantastic complement to the flavors and ingredients!

Whiskey Burger from Will Cook For Smiles and Burger Patties from Amy's Cooking Adventure

Ingredients

 

Whiskey Sauce: 

1 TBS butter 

1/4 cup chopped onion 

1/2 cup whiskey 

1 cup of beef stock 

1/2 bay leaf 

1 TBS roux (see instructions below)

1 tsp tomato paste 

salt 

fresh ground pepper 

 

Burger patties: 

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

¼ cup bread crumbs

2 TBS white onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp dried sage

¼ tsp dried thyme

Burger:

Burger buns 

Mushrooms (about 6 large fresh mushrooms, sliced)

Onions (1/2 medium onion, sliced into thin strips)

Crispy bacon (4 thick cut slices, cooked to crispy)

Whiskey Sauce

1 slice cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

Sauce: 

1. In a small sauce pot, melt butter and sauté the onion until transparent, on medium heat. 
2. Add whiskey and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add beef stock, bay leaf and tomato paste. Using a whisk, stir until all is combined. 
4. To make the roux, combine 1/2 TBS soft (not melted) butter and 1/2 TBS of flour. Stir together very well. 
5. Briskly whisk in the roux, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking often; simmer until sauce reaches desired consistency (should be fairly thick so that it will stay on the burger). Take out the bay leaf before serving. Set aside.

Burger: 

1. Combine the patty ingredients, shape into 4 burger patties. Cook the burgers to your preference on a grill or griddle over medium-high heat, about 8-10 minutes total. If using, add a slice of cheese to the top of cooked burger patty when burgers are almost done and allow to melt during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms and onions in 1-2 TBS of butter and/or olive oil until caramelized (about 10-15 minutes), and then add 2-3 TBS of whiskey sauce to the mixture. 
3. Place cooked burger on the bottom half of a bun, top with sautéed mushrooms and onions, bacon, and whiskey sauce.