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Smooth Jazz Burgers

Smooth Jazz Burgers from Smooth Cooking by Sharon O'Connor

From Smooth Cooking by Sharon O'Connor

From the recipe files of keyboard player Bob James. It's hard to improve on a great American classic, but Bob has added some uniquely Jamesian touches that take his Smooth Jazz Burgers over the top.

  • 2 pounds sirloin beef
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
  • 1 shot of bourbon (optional)
  • ¼ cup barbecue sauce, preferably Lea & Perrins
  • ½ cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese
  • 4 sesame hamburger buns or English muffins, split
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
  • Thinly sliced red onion
  • 4 tomato slices
  • Iceberg lettuce leaves

1. Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or a broiler.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, salt, pepper, optional Dijon mustard and bourbon, and just enough barbecue sauce to moisten the meat as you shape it into eight ½-inch-thick patties.

3. Sprinkle the cheese over a patty and add an extra dollop in the center. Top with a second patty and use your fingers to mold the two burgers together at the edges to form one thick patty. Repeat to make 4 burgers.

4. Grill the patties, turning once, or broil them about 3 inches from the heat source, 3 to 4 minutes on each side for rare; 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium; and 8 minutes per side for well done. The burgers should be a little charred on the outside but most with the melted cheese on the inside.

5. Lightly brush the buns or English muffins with olive oil and grill or broil for 1 minute, or until lightly toasted. Serve the hamburgers with some extra sauce, red onion, tomato, and lettuce.

Make 4 servings