Kev's Blackened Chipotle Cheddar Bacon Burgers

[Caevan O’Shite]

Kev's Blackened Chipotle Cheddar Bacon Burgers. Akin to Cajun Blackened style technique- sans Cajun Seasoning...

Not terribly complicated, fancy, groundbreaking or hifalutin- but oh, so delicious (just ask "Bluesape", he's had 'em in person and he seemed to really like 'em!), and I hadn't heard of anybody else doing quite this same thing before...

Prepare Ranch Dressing of your preference (the thicker, the better) with generous amounts of minced garlic, quality garlic powder, a little chipotle powder, a little cumin, freshly ground cracked black pepper. The longer this sits in advance, the better- such as overnight in the fridge.

Prepare your preferred bacon- traditional or turkey- for topping; have it set aside at the ready.
Romaine or fresh spinach is optional- sliced, shredded, or in whole or partial leaves.
Fresh tomato slices.
Cheddar of your choosing- slices, freshly grated, whichever you prefer. The sharper, the better. (I love 'em, but I find that the fancier crystal-laden types are a bit wasted here, as they lose some of that crystalized character and crunchy texture when melted past a point... )


Have some good music playing.


Be ready to lightly toast the rolls, buns, bread, croissants (particularly yummy!) of your choice while the burgers are cooking in the pan.

Lightly brush EVOO on burger patties of your choice (I do appreciate Black Angus Beef).

Press 'em into chipotle pepper powder of your choice (McCormick Chipotle Pepper seems consistently very fresh and vibrant); VERY liberally, heavily coat and bread them in it! Literally, actually breaded!

Preheat a good, DRY, UNOILED cast-iron skillet; in a VERY, VERY well ventilated area!! This is crucial!! Do NOT waft a whiff of the blackening chipotle smoke into your innocent nostril!! You may be tempted, it smells AMAZING- but, it's a hazard!! (Those experienced in Cajun Blackened style will understand.) Careful about your eyes, as well. That curling smoke is devilish. 😈 If there were such a thing as a fire flower- a blossom with petals of flame- its aroma would be like this- and just as potentially hurtful... But I digress. 😉

So... in that dry pan, pan-sear the breaded burger patties to a blackened appearance, a la Cajun Blackened style; cook to desired doneness (I do prefer medium-Rare, but these will be YOUR burgers). After flipping 'em, place a tomato slice or two, cheddar, and bacon on top.

Serve with lettuce or spinach and that Garlic-Chipotle blessed Ranch topping on a lightly toasted roll.

Pairs well with sweet potato fries and ginger ale, root beer, or beer of your choice.

It'll make you say bad words! (Just ask Bluesape!)
   
   
 

[Dave Bryce]

Wow...these look amazing!  Must try...

 

Thank you, brother!

 

dB

[KuruPrionz]

Dunno if I'd cook them but I'd damn well eat them!!!!!

Start a food truck in Bellingham, yeah, that's your best possible future!!!! 😇

[Dannyalcatraz]

Sounds great!

 

FWIW: There was a family-run BBQ joint near me* that had a KILLER grilled chicken with a jalapeño ranch dressing.  Jalapeños aren’t my favorite pepper, but their sauce was so good I could almost eat it like soup.  You might want to explore something like that to boost the heat quotient.

 

 

 

 

 

* they closed due to needing to move cross-country for family reasons

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, Dannyalcatraz said:

Sounds great!

 

FWIW: There was a family-run BBQ joint near me* that had a KILLER grilled chicken with a jalapeño ranch dressing.  Jalapeños aren’t my favorite pepper, but their sauce was so good I could almost eat it like soup.  You might want to explore something like that to boost the heat quotient.

 

 

 

 

 

* they closed due to needing to move cross-country for family reasons

Cool- or, hot tip, as it were!  🌶️🔥🌡️   

If you haven't yet, try El Yucateco Chile Jalapeño Sauce (also labeled as Salsa Jalapeña, etc.- same thing, green jalapeño hot sauce). It is my VERY FAVORITE green jalapeño hot sauce, and it is FANTASTIC for adding vibrant jalapeño flavor to other sauces and recipes without the texture of sliced or chopped fresh jalapeño peppers. It has a wonderful silky, creamy mouth-feel, and has a much less vinegary or salty taste than other popular jalapeño or similar mild to medium heat green pepper hot sauces. Mix it into some mayonnaise or buttermilk ranch dressing, well blended or streaked and marbley, for a quick and easy jalapeño flavored condiment that's zingy and tasty yet comfortably tamed.

I used some earlier tonight- a generous amount, along with sprinkles of El Yucateco's Kutbil-ik "EXXXTRA Hot" Habañero Salsa, a fiery, smoky, savory sauce based on an ancient Mayan recipe. It's my very favorite hot sauce of all, and I most often use it by itself- that is, without other hot sauces- and usually in careful quantities!   

Their Chipotle sauce is my second favorite chipotle pepper hot sauce, and it's a pretty close second- 1st Place being held by Pepper Palace King Chipotle, which lives up to its name!

El Yucateco's Green Habañero sauce has long held a special place in my heart, as well. I've often kept a bottle in my work place; in a bad mood or bothered by something, opening the cap and wafting a delightful sniff takes me to a happy place! And a good tablespoon or so deposited onto my tongue, followed by a swig of Polar Seltzer Water ('plain' or Mandarin Orange) to swish and gargle that hot green goodness, is good medicine for a scratchy throat!

I'll stop now.