BBQ Bacon Burger

Perfect for your Independence Day feast or any other hot summer night, this smoky burger is a scrumptious meeting of barbecue sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, and fluffy potato bread.  In the dog days of summer when the air is too warm for indoor cooking, grilling becomes a delicious must.  

The idea for these burgers stemmed from a mental amalgamation of a few other burger-and-barbecue gastronomic delights, including a friend's own version of barbecue burgers grilled along the Potomac and Mellow Mushroom's Funky Q Chicken pizza.  For my version, I blended Stubb's barbecue sauce, applewood-smoked bacon, and a balsamic reduction with a lean pound of beef and seasonings to create the perfect BBQ burger.  When I make these again, I think I'll top the melted cheddar off with some sweet caramelized onions.

And with the record-high temperatures along the eastern seaboard and the more-than-stifling Virginia July nights, it feels natural to pair this re-worked version of an American classic with Martha & the Vandellas' 1963 Motown hit "(Love is Like A) Heat Wave(!)"

The Meat:

--1 lb. lean ground beef

--2/3 c. barbecue sauce (you can make your own or use whichever store-bought version you prefer)

--8 strips smoked bacon, crumbled

--1/4 c. balsamic reduction (simply heat 2/3 c. balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low until it reduces to this lovely little syrup)

--1 egg

--1 tbsp. salt, or to taste

--1 tbsp. pepper, or to taste

--4 slices cheddar

--4 potato rolls (or any kind of burger roll you prefer)

Combine ingredients and shape into four burger patties.

Over a charcoal flame, grill for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, adding the cheddar about a minute before removing each burger from the grill.  Serve on a potato roll with your favorite grill-out sides.