MESQUITE SMOKED STUFFED BRISKET BURGER

Mesquite Smoked Stuffed Brisket Burger image

Provided by Food Network

Time 2h40m

Yield 4 to 6 burgers

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

1 pound bacon
4 cups grated white American cheese
2 to 3 serranos or jalapenos, chopped finely
2 to 3 pounds freshly ground beef
1/2 cup dry rub, plus more as needed for sprinkling
Salt and pepper
4 cups finely sliced yellow onions
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 to 6 large hamburger buns

Steps:

Preheat an offset smoker for cooking at 250 degrees F and add some pieces of mesquite.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Reserve 12 slices to use for building burgers. Crumble remaining bacon for burger filling.
Combine cheese, chiles and crumbled bacon in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Use your hands to press out and form eight to twelve 4-ounce patties from the beef, approximately 4 1/2 to 5 inches in diameter. Place patties on a work surface. Layer 3 ounces filling in the center of a patty, then layer a second patty on top of filling and first patty. Use your fingers to press the edges of the 2 patties together, being thorough in sealing the patties with no holes along the edges. Repeat with remaining patties and filling.
Sprinkle each side of the patties with dry rub, salt and pepper. Place patties in smoker and cook 30 minutes, then flip and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a patty registers 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 15 to 30 minutes more. Let patties rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saute pan over low heat until onions are caramelized, soft and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Put tomatoes in a pan, drizzle with 4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle each side with dry rub. Cover with foil and smoke in offset smoker for 1 hour.
Melt butter in a large saute pan or comal over medium-high heat. Place burger buns cut-side down in pan and cook until golden and toasted. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into the same pan used for bread. Place smoked burger patties into pan and sear each side, 2 minutes per side. (You may also use this same pan to warm up cooled smoked tomatoes, if needed.)
Build burgers: Place patties on the buns and top with smoked tomatoes and caramelized onions.