Stuffed Bacon-Cheddar BBQ Burger (Emeril's "Best Ever Burger) winner

Recipe Name: STUFFED BACON-CHEDDAR BBQ BURGER (winner of Emeril’s “Best Ever Burger” competition)

Servings:  not sure

Submitted By: Trish

Food Category: Meat, Poultry & Seafood

Cooking Time: about 40 minutes

Calories Per Serving (if known):

Ingredients

Ground Beef (93% ff) or Ground Turkey (lower calorie)

 2 t. black pepper, freshly ground  (optional)

 2 T. garlic salt

 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (I used 2% Kraft Shredded Cheese.  You could sub in FF Cheese, but not sure about the consistency)

 1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used Turkey Bacon)

 Vidalia onion, sliced

 1 T. olive oil (for sautéing)

 Sweet barbecue sauce (I used low carb BBQ sauce)

 Hamburger buns (I used whole wheat)

 Lettuce (optional)

 Tomato (optional)

Directions:

Combine meat, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

In another bowl, combine the shredded sharp cheddar and cooked bacon pieces. Let bacon and cheese mixture sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to get soft. Then, shape mixture into balls (for however many burgers you would like to make).

Form 2 patties of meat and place one cheese/bacon ball in between them. Pinch the sides together to seal in cheese ball. Gently press formed patty, to spread out cheese ball. Continue until all patties are formed.

Cook burgers on grill over medium flame for about 7 minutes on each side.

While burgers are grilling, slice sweet Vidalia onions and saute them in a skillet with olive oil. Once onions become translucent (about 4 minutes), add some barbecue sauce.

Flip burgers, and baste the cooked side of the patties with the same barbecue sauce used in the onions. After about 7 minutes longer, the burger should be done (these are big thick burgers and may take longer to grill to your liking).

Baste again with sweet barbecue sauce before removing from grill. Grill buns (if desired)

To build burger, take toasted bun, add patty, and top with smothered barbecue onions. You can add tomato or lettuce, if you'd like, but the flavors are great without them.