Bacon-Wrapped Barbecue Burgers

This dressed-up burger is a true crowd-pleaser. If you pull the ground beef from your freezer, make sure it has been well wrapped and frozen for 3 months or less to ensure best flavor.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Other: 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 8  bacon slices
• 1  (4.5-oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained and chopped
• 1/2  cup  chopped Vidalia or sweet onion
• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  bottled honey barbecue sauce, divided
• 1 1/2  pounds  ground beef
• Wooden picks
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 4  sesame seed hamburger buns, toasted

Preparation

1. Arrange bacon on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate; cover with a paper towel. Microwave bacon at HIGH 2 minutes or until edges begin to crinkle and bacon is partially cooked.

2. Sauté mushrooms and onion in hot oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce.

3. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Shape ground beef into 8 (5-inch) thin patties. Place 2 Tbsp. mushroom mixture in center of each of 4 patties. Top with remaining patties, pressing edges to seal. Shape into 4-inch patties. Wrap sides of each patty with 2 bacon slices, overlapping ends of each slice. Secure bacon using wooden picks. Sprinkle patties with salt. Cover and chill 10 minutes.

4. Grill patties, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat 5 to 6 minutes on 1 side. Turn and baste with half of remaining barbecue sauce. Grill 5 to 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink in center. Turn and baste with remaining barbecue sauce. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove wooden picks. Serve burgers on buns, and top with remaining mushroom mixture.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Honey Barbecue Sauce.