If there’s one thing I love, it’s a great burger! Grilled and nicely browned on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside! No burnt little hockey pucks tortured on the grill until they’re beyond dead for this girl! When I want a burger, I want a burger! 😉 I might not be able to eat it all, but I make a darned good effort! 😉

And this burger is definitely on my Top 5 Most Loved Burgers list! I love beer. I love mustard. I love burgers! So this one satisfies 3 favorites all in one shot! And, of course, my love of cheese! Can’t forget that! 😉

You can use whatever beer you enjoy, but I’ve come to prefer a nice dark beer for this. If you’re going to go for it, then go for it, right? You can also use your own personal favorite mustard as well. I’ve used nice dijon and whole-grain stout mustards before, and they all work extremely well. If you like a little heat, you might like to try a nice jalapeño mustard. 😉 Just pick out something that sounds fun! 😀

Besides the additions of stout beer and mustard to the beef itself, fresh garlic and A1 Steak Sauce add a kick of extra flavor! And the addition of mayonnaise aids in making your burgers even more juicy and moist inside! You can add a little salt and pepper when mixing up your beef, or you can simply sprinkle it on the outside of the patties just before grilling, which is the way I prefer to do it so that it’s sure to be seasoned evenly.

As far as the cheese goes, I personally prefer to use a super sharp cheddar. As sharp a cheddar as I can find! 😀 But you can use a milder cheddar, co-jack, or even a Colby if sharp isn’t your thing. You will be the one eating what you’re making, so be sure to make it how you enjoy it most. 😉 Like an extra kick of heat? A hot pepper-jack cheese might be more suitable for your taste! 😀 Anything you enjoy with beer and mustard is perfectly fine.

You don’t have to have any lettuce on these, as they are incredibly delicious all on their own, but if I happen to have a little kale on hand, I do like to put a small piece or two on top of the bottom bun underneath the burger. I like putting any type of lettuce on the bottom because it really helps prevent the bottom bun from getting soggy. But you can dress your burger however you like. Kale and lettuce are completely optional and up to you.

So if you’re hankering for a truly special burger that tastes like you ordered it from a popular corner Irish pub, this burger has your name on it! 😉 Juicy and bursting with flavor, this burger is one you’ll remember! 😉 You can also pan-fry these no problem if the weather isn’t cooperating or you don’t have a grill. I like to do them in my cast iron skillet, and if I make them quite thick, I just finish them in a preheated oven set at 375 degrees. This ensures the burger to be done all the way through and melts the cheese nicely as well. Just follow the same cooking times while pan-frying, then pop into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes is all.

This is truly a wonderful burger and I so hope you all enjoy! 😀 That’s it for this week, but I’ll see you all on Monday! Take care and Happy Fall Ya’ll! 😀 ~Kelly

Pub-Style Stout Burgers with Beer-Braised Onions & Cheddar

Ingredients

For Onions:

2 Tbl. butter
1 large vidalia onion, large dice or thickly sliced
1 Tbl. dark brown sugar
1 cup stout beer, or your favorite dark beer
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard, I use French's
1/4 tsp. salt, to taste
1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

For Burgers:

2 lbs. quality ground beef
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 Tbl. A1 Steak Sauce
1 Tbl. heavy mayo
2 Tbl. spicy brown mustard
1/3 cup stout beer
salt and coarse ground black pepper

Rest of Ingredients:

kale leaves, optional
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar
spicy brown mustard
4 large sturdy rolls, split

Instructions

For the Onions:

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender.

Add 1 cup stout beer, dark brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper, and continue cooking until beer is absorbed and the onions are lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.

For the Burgers:

Heat grill to high heat.

In large bowl, gently but thoroughly combine the beef, garlic, A1 sauce, mayo, mustard, 1/3 cup beer, and salt and pepper to taste. (*You can also choose to add the salt and pepper to the outside of patties if preferred just before grilling.)

Form into 4 large, thick patties, oil grill grates, and place onto grill, turning heat down to medium.

Grill them for about 6 minutes per side with lid closed, or until almost done.

Top each burger with 1/2 cup grated cheese, close lid again, and heat until mostly melted.

Serve on toasted buns topped with with kale, top each with the beer-braised onions, and spread inside top buns with more spicy brown mustard.

These burgers go very well with: