Smokehouse Burger Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high; wait until grill reaches 400 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the patties on both sides with the salt and pepper. (We suggest aggressively, as most will sweat off the patties during cooking.)
• Cook the patties for 5 minutes, then flip.
• Place Pork Belly on grill. Brush the butter on the brioche buns and place on grill. Toast until it reaches the desired color (we like it a little darker for more of a char taste).
• Flip pork belly after 2 minutes, then place Cheddar on the patties to melt.
• Remove brioche buns from grill and spread Whiskey Aioli on all inside bun areas.
• Place patties on bun bottoms, then top with tomatoes and the bun tops. Let rest for 4 minutes, then devour.
• Preheat a smoker to 240 degrees F.
• Mix chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, brown sugar, garlic powder and pepper in a bowl until well combined, then reserve.
• Score the pork belly on the fat side with a sharp knife 1/2-inch apart, being careful to not cut into the meat. Turn the meat 90 degrees and repeat, forming a crosshatch pattern. Cut belly into five 3- to 4-inch-wide pieces.
• Rub all sides of the pork belly with the reserved rub.
• Place in smoker and cook for 3 hours. Remove from smoker and place in a pan to collect fat.
• Starting from cold, reduce whiskey by half in a saute pan over medium heat. (Be very careful, as it can catch fire. Do not attempt to blow out if this occurs. Remove from heat and cover with a metal lid to extinguish the fire.)
• Pour reduction in a bowl and place in refrigerator to cool, 10 minutes.
• Place mayonnaise, lime juice, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add whiskey reduction to bowl and mix.
• Place aioli back into refrigerator until needed.

Steps:

• Roast the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil.
• In a large bowl, add the mushrooms, a generous drizzle of oil, Italian seasoning, paprika and red chile flakes and toss to coat. Spread the mushrooms out on the lined baking sheet. Bake until they shrink a bit and the moisture looks mostly wicked away, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and lightly season with salt. Allow to cool a bit on the sheet, then transfer to a bowl.
• Make the patties: In a large bowl, add the beef in chunks and sprinkle with the salt and plenty of pepper. With your less dominant hand, fold and mix the burger with your fingers stretched open like a pitchfork. Mix until just combined. Divide into 4 equal parts and make a ball out of each. Flatten to a size just a bit wider in circumference than your buns.
• Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside. In a cast-iron pan or griddle on medium heat, add a bit of oil, then the patties. Cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to the baking sheet and top each with two slices of cheese. Tent with aluminum foil or cover with an upside-down metal baking dish for about 5 minutes.
• Make the onion rings: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pour 2 inches of peanut oil in a tall pot and heat on medium-high heat until the temperature registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, the smoked paprika and a nice pinch of salt. Whisk in the beer until the mixture resembles a thick pancake batter. Drink the remaining beer. In a separate bowl, add and separate the rings of onion, then dust them with the remaining 1/2 cup flour, tossing with your hands to ensure that they are all coated.
• Working in small batches so as to not overcrowd the pot, dunk the flour-coated onions into the batter, then directly into the oil. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the onion rings to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Continue to fry the onion rings, allowing the oil to return to 350 degrees F before adding more.
• Assemble burgers: Place a patty on each bun bottom, then add some mushrooms, 2 to 3 onion rings and drizzle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Top with the bun tops.