Rapscallion Burger with Pimento Cheese

By LRay

These rapscallion burgers with pimento cheese and bacon are so flavorful! Perfect for lunch or dinner. This recipe makes just one burger, but can easily be increased to feed a family, and it already makes plenty of pimento cheese to go around.

Ingredients

• BURGER:
• 8 ounces ground beef (80/20 is ideal)
• 1 1/2 ounces Rapscallion pimento cheese (recipe follows)
• kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning
• pan au lait bun (or brioche bun)
• 1 tablespoon Zatarain’s Creole mustard
• 2 slices tomato
• Bibb lettuce leaves
• 1 slice onion
• 2 strips thick-cut black pepper bacon, cooked
• PIMENTO CHEESE:
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 3 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons minced peppadew peppers
• 1 teaspoon no-salt barbecue spice blend or chicken rub
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Crystal hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Zatarain’s Creole mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Preparation

Step 1

BURGER:
Fire up the grill. Form the meat into a patty and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sear the burger on each side over hottest part of grill then move it to indirect heat. After about 2 minutes on each side, or when patty is medium rare, spread about an 1½ ounces pimento cheese on top and put it in broiler.

While burger is finishing in broiler, brush bun with a little melted butter and toast on indirect heat. By the time the cheese is melted, the patty should be a perfect medium.

To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon mustard on the bottom half of bun. Add lettuce, onion, and tomato, and top with burger, bacon, and top of bun.

PIMENTO CHEESE:
Combine cheeses, mayonnaise, onion, shallot, and peppers, then fold in all the remaining ingredients. Recipe yields one quart.