JALAPENO PEPPER JUICY LUCY

Jalapeno Pepper Juicy Lucy image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 45m

Yield 12 burgers

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 3/4 pounds ground beef
8 ounces bacon, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 frozen jalapeno poppers
Twelve 1/2-ounce slices pepper jack cheese
24 pickled jalapeno slices (from a 12-ounce jar)
12 hamburger buns, split
Sliced red onion, sliced tomato and shredded lettuce, for topping

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the butter, chipotle and adobo in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
Combine the beef, bacon, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and mix together until well combined. Divide the meat into 12 balls (3 ounces each). Press a jalapeno popper into the center of one ball of meat and bring the meat up and around to completely encase the popper. Pat the meat into the flattest patty you can make while still keeping the popper completely covered. Put on the rack on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining meat and poppers.
Bake until the burgers are caramelized around the edges, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile brush the cut sides of the burger buns with the chipotle butter and place cut-side up on a second baking sheet. Remove the burgers from the oven and top each with a cheese slice and 2 pickled jalapeno slices. Return to the oven along with the buns and bake until the buns are hot and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Serve the burgers on the buns topped with onion, tomato and lettuce.