Lunch: Farmhouse Bacon Cheeseburger

Recipe by Spike Mendelsohn After reading several books and articles on Americans and the hamburgers they love, my mother found that people's favorite sauces were different takes on Thousand Island dressing (ketchup and mayo). At one of our family tasting

Ingredients

30 oz. ground sirloin
6 potato buns
1 lb. applewood-smoked bacon
6 slice american cheese
6 leaves iceberg lettuce
6 slice tomato
6 slice red onion
12 slice pickle
canola oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Good Stuff Sauce (below)

Instructions

To make Homemade Basic Mayonnaise: Add the eggs, mustard, vinegar, and salt to a food processor or blender. Process for 30 seconds in the food processor, or for 10 seconds in the blender. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil slowly at first, then add in a thin, steady stream until all the oil is added and the mixture is smooth. Stop the motor and taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little hot water. If too thin, process a little longer. The mayonnaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make Good Stuff Sauce: Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, and salt to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make burgers: To make the patties, roll six 5-ounce sirloin balls and form each ball into a patty. Arrange on a tray, cover, and refrigerate. Line a plate with paper towels.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add just enough oil to cover the entire bottom. When the oil begins to smoke, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Drain off the fat from the skillet, but do not wipe clean.
Reduce the heat to medium and place the patties into the same skillet. Season the patties with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Place 3 strips of bacon and 1 slice of the cheese on each patty and continue to cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare doneness. Cover with a lid for the last 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Toast the buns. Set aside.
To assemble the burgers, place 1 patty on 1 toasted bun bottom. Top the patty with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, and 2 pickle slices. Dress with some of the sauce. Cover with the bun top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Don't forget to wrap the sandwiches in waxed paper. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes and serve.
Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown: Double the amount of ground sirloin, make double the number of burgers, and layer 2 patties in each sandwich.

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