Amazing Pepper Jack Sizzling Burgers

Imagine how thrilled my guys were when they saw Burgers on our meal planner. Burgers! They could not believe their eyes. I was going to cook up normal, everyday burgers. Huh, I don’t think so!

These burgers are inspired by Burger King’s Angry Whopper and they are anything but ordinary. If you have ever had a Burger King Angry Whopper, then you know the heat factor is intense. While mine are not as unbearably spicy as the Burger King version, the taste is still very much out of this world delicious. I think these burgers are even better because they are home-made. Let’s face it, nothing beats home cooked food.

One bite and my burger-loving family was insisting we have them again – soon. Tomorrow was not soon enough. I’m not sure what they loved more, the burgers, the sauce or the onion petals. There were plenty of onion petals, so my guys ate ’em on their burgers and as a side along with French Fries. There was plenty of sauce, too. Perfect to drizzle over the onion petals.

What I liked best about these burgers is that every bite was filled with layers of flavor. You could taste the sauce, the meat, the cheese, the smokey bacon and sweet onions. No one ingredient, texture or flavor dominated the others. So delicious.

Just a few quick tips before we get started:
Prepare the onion petals first. That way they will have more than enough time to chill in the refrigerator. Don’t worry if the petals clump together. They might not be as pretty as those in a restaurant, but they will taste just as good. Form the hamburger patties while the onion petals are chilling. This will allow the burgers to warm a bit and cook evenly. 

Fry the onion BEFORE you cook the burgers. Get that little job out of the way. Don’t worry, you’ll keep them warm in the oven. It makes assembling the burgers a snap if everything is ready. And it’s a lot easier (less stress) when you don’t have to jump between the burgers and the onions. One step at a time and nothing will overcook or under cook. 

Gather all the ingredients, read through the recipes and have fun! There’s no point in cooking if it’s a chore and not a labor of love.

Pepper Jack Sizzling Burgers
Onion Petals
1 Egg
1 cup Milk
1 cup Flour
1 teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 medium Onion

To Make Onion Petals
Beat egg and combine it with milk in a bowl large enough to hold the onion; set aside.

In another bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and cumin; set aside.

Cut about 3/4 to 1-inch off of the top and bottom of the onion, remove skin. Using a large, sharp knife, slice down the center of the onion about 3/4 of the way down, until you have 16 sections. Go back and cut all the way through.

Dip the onion petals in the milk mixture, and then coat well with the flour mixture. Once you have coated all of the petals well, dip it into the milk and into the flour mixture again. Place the bowl with the petals in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry the petals in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and let drain.

Keep warm until ready to use. Pile on the petals – there will be more than enough.

Note: Place the fried petals on a wire rack over a baking pan. Hold in a warm oven (about 275 degrees) until ready to build the burgers. The petals will remain hot and crisp with warm air circulating around them.

Sizzling Sauce
4 1/2 tablespoons packed Brown Sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons Ketchup
3 tablespoons Yellow Mustard
1 1/2 tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
3 teaspoons Mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3/4 teaspoon Chili Powder

To Make the Sizzling Sauce
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Chill until ready to use.

Note: This is more than enough sauce for the burgers, with some left over to drizzle over the remaining onion petals.

Sizzling Burgers
8 slices Bacon
4 Sesame Seed Buns, toasted
1 1/3 lbs Ground Chuck
4 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
Jalapeno Pepper slices, as desired
1 Beef Tomato, sliced
4 Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves

To Make the Sizzling Burgers
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Brush buns with a little butter or olive oil. Toast on a griddle pan until golden. Wrap in foil and keep warm until ready to build burger.

While the buns are toasting, divide the ground beef into four equal balls. Flatten into third-pound patties. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat a flat griddle to medium heat, about 300 degrees. Cook hamburger patties on griddle for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place sliced cheese on top of the patties, turn off the heat and allow the cheese to melt.

While the burgers are cooking, gather up the rest of your fixings. The cheese will melt on the burgers a little easier if its allowed to come to room temperature for a few minutes.

To Build an Angry Burger

• Bottom Bun brushed with Sizzling Sauce
• Hamburger Patty
• Jalapeno Pepper slices as desired
• 2 strips of Bacon per burger
• Onion Petals as desired
• 1 Tomato slice per burger
• 1 Lettuce Leaf per burger
• Top Bun brushed with Sizzling Sauce

Naturally, no self respecting burger would be complete without a few French Fries . . .

And don’t worry if you need to smash the burger down a little to get it into your mouth. It’s still awesomely delicious!