#FoodieExtravaganza ~ Western Bacon Burgers with BBQ Mayo and Crispy Onion Strings

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. This month we celebrate National Hamburger Month by serving up burgers of all kinds.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to participate in the next Foodie Extravaganza, just go to our Facebook page to join. We would love to have you!

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The crispy onion strings are what make this sandwich extra special - combined with yummy salty, crispy bacon (which I forgot to put on before I took pictures) and the creamy BBQ Mayo, this is the perfect summer burger to share and enjoy!

When I saw this recipe I thought this would be a great "at-home" version of the Carl's Junior Western Burger, and it was probably about as close as I'm going to get. We enjoyed these - the BBQ Mayo was very good with the other combination of ingredients.

This month's Foodie Extravaganza Delicious Burger Selections:

• Cheeseburger in Paradise by The Freshman Cook
• French Onion Burgers by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Frita Cubana (Cuban Hamburger) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Guacamole Bacon Burger by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Maw-Maw's Hamburger Surprise by Cooking With Carlee
• Mushroom Veggie Burgers with Roasted Tomato Mayo by The Joyful Foodie
• Pineapple and Bacon Burgers with Candied Jalapeños by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Spiced Lamb Burgers with Pomegranate Chutney and Mint-Pistachio Pesto by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Sweet and Smoky Bacon Cheddar Burger by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Thai Turkey Burgers with Siracha Mayo by Our Good Life
• Western Bacon Burgers with BBQ Mayo and Crispy Onion Straws by Making Miracles
• Zucchini-wrapped Cheesy Pea Burgers by Food Lust People Love

Western Bacon Burgers with BBQ Mayo and Crispy Onion Strings adapted from La Creme De La Crumb

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
½ white onion
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup mayo
8 slices of bacon, cooked til crisp
4 hamburger buns
optional: lettuce and cheese (I used Cabot White Oak Cheddar Cheese)

Directions

1. Thinly slice onion. (The slices should be thin enough that you should be able to see the knife through the end of the onion where you're slicing). Place onion slices in a shallow dish and pour buttermilk over the onions. Move them around so they are all in the buttermilk, but they don't have to be completely covered. Let them soak for about 10 minutes. 
2. In bowl combine flour, salt, garlic power, paprika, and cayenne pepper and whisk until well mixed. Dip the onions in the flour mixture, tossing to coat. Put them all in a bowl.
3. Fill a pan with ½ inch of oil. Heat oil to 300 degrees. Use tongs to place coated onions in the hot oil. After about 30-40 seconds, turn them over once and cook another 30-40 seconds, until golden brown and crispy. Place fried onions on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
4. Preheat grill. Shape ground beef into 4 equal sized patties and season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill burgers 4-5 minutes on each side until desired doneness is reached.
5. Whisk together mayo and bbq sauce. Spread some bbq mayo on the inner sides of top and bottom hamburger buns. Top with grilled burgers (topped with cheese if using), bacon, fried onions, and lettuce and / or tomato if desired. Serve immediately.