What is your favorite burger?
This spicy, savory and juicy Peppercorn Blue Cheese Bacon Burger is covered in crushed peppercorns, then grilled to perfection and topped with a Blue Cheese Yogurt and crispy rounds of Pancetta.
Can I just tell you – today is like the greatest day ever.
A cool, crisp and brisk fall morning. The leaves rustling, as they fall listlessly from the tree.
It’s like poetry in motion. Fall. My favorite time of year.
This morning was sssooo beautiful, I just stood outside and let it sweep me in. Until finally, I grabbed a ladder and headed out to visit The Little Apple Tree That Could.
It didn’t disappoint. It graced me with another 11 pounds of apples (the same amount of bounty it gave me last week) and there are still >100 apples left on the tree. 🙂 best.tree.ever. <please send help!>
I’ve been a bit off from my regular post schedule this last week. Between pre-coordinating the blogger meet-up, attending the IFBC 2014 event and prepping the Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting for the virtual baby shower, it’s been crazy busy around here.
Are you ready to get back to your regularly scheduled programming? 🙂 I know I am!
But, before we get to this incredibly juicy and savory burger, let me share just a bit about IFBC. Friday night’s conference started with the Grand Opening Reception and Gift Suite, and my favorite gift was these huge canvas shopping bags, courtesy of WordPress.
I looooove these bags! They are so big, roomy and durable, they’re going to make grocery store trips sssooo much easier with their eco-friendly selves. I am totally stoked by these! Seriously. Thank you WordPress!
If you want to see more IFBC photos, visit my Instagram account. If you don’t follow me, you totally should! Go check it out. I’ll wait…
Another gift that I thought was really cool and very touching was a personalized apron from the kind folks at Aneto. They made embroidered aprons for every single IFBC attendee. Isn’t that the coolest?
Ok, let’s get on to the real meat of this post, shall we?
I replicated one of my favorite burgers that I order from one of our go-to restaurants (ssssshhhhh!).
And now, I’m sharing a very similar, but so much better, version with you. 🙂
Look at this dreamy bad boy. Big, bold, savory flavor with the crushed peppercorns, then topped with a rich, blue cheese yogurt sauce and rounds of crispy pancetta.
What’s so great about using pancetta in this recipe is that when you crisp it on the stove, it poofs up into darling crispy rounds that taste good and look awesome on your burger! Simply buy pancetta from your grocery store deli and ask for it thick cut. It makes an amazing difference.
Need I remind you of how much I am LOVING OPA Blue Cheese Yogurt? Ohmygoshyouguys – I want to bathe in that stuff! YUMMO. I first fell in love with it when I made the Easy Buffalo Shrimp Appetizer and I’ve been swooning ever since.
Ok, here’s a little tip on the peppercorns.. When you crush the peppercorns and put them on a plate, use a dredging plate with a lip around the sides. That way, you won’t have those pesky peppercorns rolling around everywhere getting into places you didn’t know you had. <recipe disaster flashback: Coconut Raisin Sorghum {Rice} Pudding> 🙂
And, you’ll want to grind them between a medium and a medium-fine grind. The finer the grind, the more that will stick. = how spicy do you want your burger!
FWIW, I typically use my coffee grinder, which makes quick work of it.
Doesn’t this just make you want to take a bite? I’m getting hungry!
Peppercorn Blue Cheese Bacon Burger
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground sirloin or hamburger *see note
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Worchestershire
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 cup crushed fresh peppercorns **see note
- 4 to 6 slices of pancetta
- 2 to 3 hamburger buns
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup OPA Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing
Condiments (Optional)
- onions sliced
- lettuce
- tomato
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat until hot. Turn skillet down to medium and add pancetta. Cook on both sides until just crispy. Remove from skillet, drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- Mix hamburger, Worchestershire and dry mustard together until well mixed.
- Divide hamburger into 3 equal portions and gently shape into 3 (1/3 pound) patties. Sprinkle with salt and press into ground peppercorns on each side. Grill burgers over high heat for 1 minute to 1 minute 25 seconds on each side, then turn grill down to medium heat and cook 4 to 5 additional minutes or until desired doneness. Remove from heat and let burgers rest 3 to 5 minutes.
- Assemble burgers: bun, burger, blue cheese yogurt sauce, blue cheese crumbles, pancetta, and top with preferred toppings (onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.) and any condiments you wish (although you likely won't need condiments!)!
Notes
Renee@Two in the Kitchen says
Yes indeed, this gorgeous burger is making me hungry!! And I love hearing about how many apples you got from your dynamite tree! I wish I had something like that out here in Chicago. But, I’ll settle with going to the apple orchard soon! So glad you had a blast at the food conference. I can’t wait to hear more about it! 🙂
Kristi says
Thanks Renee! Yes, I can’t imagine living without The Little Tree That Could. 🙂 I wish you could’ve come to the conference – we would’ve had such a great time together! Have a great weekend!
ATasteOfMadness says
Normally I don’t like blue cheese, but if it’s in this burger I think I would love it! This looks amazing!!
Kristi says
Thank you! I’m a huge blue cheese fan myself, but on this burger, it’s especially good with the crushed peppercorns. I hope you get a chance to try it! 🙂
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
I love the bags that we got. That and the vanilla beans were probably my favorite things! This burger sounds absolutely delicious!
Kristi says
I’m with you Liz! I loved the vanilla beans too! I’m still working my way through all the SWAG. I wish we would’ve met there – maybe next year! 🙂
Josefine {The Smoothie Lover} says
Aaaw, that meet-up sounds awesome! I wish I could join.
Well, I’ll join mentally. I hope it’ll be great!
And oooh, this burger looks gooood! Blue cheese is SO delicious. Sounds wonderful in a burger.
Kristi says
It was fun Josefine. It was really great to meet so many other bloggers. I was so surprised that many of them are local – who knew I was surrounded by so many great foodies!
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
Omg these burgers look totally awesome, Kristi! I am in LOVE with all that gorgeous blue cheese and crispy bacon! Get in mah belly! 😀
Kristi says
Thanks Sarah – these burgers were pretty awesome! Crispy bacon – yesssss!!! 🙂
Johlene says
I love this burger..oh my wordddd it looks so good 🙂 PS. I love Fall too Happy week friend xoxo
Kristi says
YES Johlene! Fall is it!!! My favorite! 🙂 Have a beautiful week, my friend!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
My husband’s favorite burger topping is blue cheese. He would go wild for these burgers!
Love the personalized apron!
Kristi says
I love a good blue cheese burger too, Christin! Have a beautiful week!
Kelly says
Wow, that’s awesome that you have an apple tree – totally sounds like the best tree ever 🙂 Yay, sounded like you had a great time at IFBC – love all the swag you got and can’t wait to hear more about it!
And oh my goodness, this burger looks fabulous!!! Yum – all that blue cheese and bacon sound incredible in here!:)
Kristi says
Thanks Kelly – that was a really tasty burger. We loved blackened peppercorn burgers. Oh my tree – it’s a giver for sure. I don’t even know what to do with all the apples! Have a great week!
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
That is a serious amount of peppercorns! But I suppose I would expect no less from you! These burgers look delicious! Bacon, pepper, & blue cheese! What else do you need really?!
And I am totally envious of your crisp Fall mornings! Boooo Atlanta…get with the Fall program!
Kristi says
Gah! See, one more reason for you to come visit, and then you’ll have fall! I’ll share! Hahaha!
Annie @Maebells says
Wow! Just wow! I am in LOVE with this burger!! I think blue cheese and are meant to be loaded on top of bacon burgers!! Delish!
Kristi says
Thanks Annie – they were an amazing burger. You will love it if you make it! 🙂
marcie says
Kristi, everything about this burger sounds amazing! I love peppercorns on steak, and I’ve never thought to use them as a crust on a burger. And that pancetta — yum! I’d help you with those apples if I lived close…that’s what friends are for. 🙂
Kristi says
Gah! Please come be my neighbor. I’ve got apples….. I’m so glad you like the burger – we loved it!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Lately I’m really into Mexican burgers with pinto beans spread on them and a bunch of candied jalapenos on top. Right now though I have this peppercorn burger in my mind!
Kristi says
Oh my gosh Pamela – your comment made my mouth water! Now I’m dreaming about your Mexican burger!!! Sounds delicious!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
This burger looks incredible Kristi! I definitely wish I had one to devour right now. Thanks for drawing my attention to that blue cheese and yoghurt dressing, I have never seen a product like that here in Australia – so my eyes are now peeled for it!
Kristi says
It’s seriously addictive stuff Thalia – I hope you can find it in Australia. If you love blue cheese, you will love it!