All-American Bacon Cheeseburger (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the All-American Burger Sauce

01 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
02 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
03 - 2 tablespoons sweet relish
04 - 1 tablespoon garlic wholegrain mustard
05 - 1 tablespoon Truff hot sauce

→ For the Burgers

06 - 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (80/20)
07 - 3 tablespoons seasoned salt
08 - Brioche buns (2 halves per burger)
09 - Vermont cheddar cheese slices
10 - Mayonnaise for toasting buns

→ For the Bacon-Wrapped Onion Rings

11 - 2 sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick rings
12 - 8 to 10 oz block Colby cheese, cut into 1/8 inch thin strips
13 - Bacon strips (approximately 4 strips for wrapping rings)
14 - Hickory wood for smoking

→ For the Beef Short Ribs

15 - 1/2 lb boneless beef short ribs, shredded

# Instructions:

01 - Cut the sweet onions into 1/4 inch thick rings. Take the largest onion ring and nestle a slightly smaller ring inside it, leaving a small gap between them. Stuff that gap with thin strips of Colby cheese (1/8 inch thick). Wrap the entire onion ring assembly tightly with bacon - you'll need about 2 full strips per ring to cover it completely.
02 - Preheat your smoker to 350-375 degrees using hickory wood. Place the bacon-wrapped onion rings on the smoker rack and smoke for about 45 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and fully cooked.
03 - While the onion rings are smoking, shape the ground chuck into 1/2 inch thick patties. Season them liberally with seasoned salt on both sides. Set aside.
04 - In a bowl, combine the mayo, ketchup, sweet relish, garlic wholegrain mustard, and Truff hot sauce. Mix everything together really well and set aside.
05 - Spread a thin layer of mayo on the cut sides of the brioche buns. Toast them on a griddle or grill until golden brown. Set the toasted buns aside.
06 - Preheat a griddle or grill to high heat. Cook the patties, flipping once. Right after you flip them, top each one with slices of Vermont cheddar cheese and continue grilling for another 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the patties are cooked through.
07 - Spread the burger sauce on both the top and bottom buns. Place a patty on the bottom bun, then add one bacon-wrapped onion ring on top. Fill the center hole of the onion ring with the shredded beef short ribs. Top with the other bun half.
08 - Serve your All-American Burger immediately while everything is hot and melty. This is one seriously impressive burger!

# Notes:

01 - This recipe yields 1 very large gourmet burger, but the ingredient amounts can make 2-3 burgers depending on patty size.
02 - The bacon-wrapped onion rings take the most time - you can make them ahead and reheat if needed.
03 - If you don't have a smoker, you can bake the onion rings in a 375-degree oven for about 30-40 minutes.
04 - Shred the short ribs while they're still warm for the easiest texture.
05 - This is a BIG, indulgent burger - come hungry!

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