Bacon Brie Burger with Merlot Onions

I love food, you guys. You know this, or you wouldn’t be here. Chances are you also love food. We’re foodies, right? And as much as I love eating, it’s rare for me to exclaim that I killed it in the kitchen…until today. Last month, CK Mondavi and Family sent me three wines to enjoy this summer; Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. I wanted to create a flavorful burger that each of these wine varietals would compliment. And I am so incredibly happy with this burger.

Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with CK Mondavi and Family. As always, the opinions here are all my own.

As a food blogger, generally you will develop a recipe, and test it out. Then if you get it right the first time, and the light is right, and you have the props you want, and as long as  your husband is not studying in your work space that day (that last one most likely only pertains to me, huh?)…then, and only then will you photograph the recipe.

If the stars don’t align, you’re prepared for shoot day, and you have dinner for the night. I ate this burger for three days after trying it out, and then a week later, when I was ready to photograph for the blog, I ate this burger for three more days, and never got tired of it. There is so much flavor in my Bacon Brie Burger. SO MUCH. I was on the fence about adding caramelized onions. In general, I am not a fan of onions. I have learned to tolerate cooked onions, and caramelized get cooked so far down that, I love them. The trick to tasty caramelized onions are patience, and sauteeing in both butter and olive oil. It took me a while to learn this, but this classic method is tried and true, and packs such a rich flavor. So then I thought I’d sautee some of my onions in a generous pour of CK Mondavi and Family Merlot. SO GOOD!

I chose brie cheese to top this burger because I love love love brie cheese (really, I don’t discriminate when it comes to cheese), but also because it pairs with CK Mondavi and Family’s Chardonnay so well. Chardonnay, in general is a great white wine for just about anything. Everything’s better with bacon, so I added a crispy slice for good measure.

If you’re more of a red drinker, CK Mondavi and Family’s Cabernet Sauvignon is great with grilled beef, like this Bacon Brie Burger with Merlot Onions.

These burgers are hearty. I love these with a brioche bun, but you could also knife and fork it, if you like. I fired up the grill (Jason actually fired up the grill, haha), but you could also use a grill pan inside, if you’d prefer. I like to serve with a light side like my classic coleslaw – everything about the combo just screams summer to me.

bacon brie burger with merlot onions

The grilled ground beef patty with melted brie, crispy bacon, caramelized onions cooked down with Merlot wine is packed with loads of savory flavor.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Author: Nichole Crews

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds ground beef - any ground beef will do, though I do suggest 90/10 blend for flavor
• 6 ounces brie - sliced
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Coarse Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 4 Brioche Buns - split, or lettuce to wrap
• 2 tbsp butter - unsalted
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion - sliced
• ¼ cup Merlot - CK Mondavi and Family suggested

Instructions

• In a 5 to 6 quart pan over medium-high heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onions and stir often until they're limp and liquid has evaporated, about 8-10 minutes. Add wine; stir occasionally until liquid has evaporated and onions are sweet to taste and very tender, about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste, if desired.
• While onions are cooking, prepare bacon.
• Portion ground beef into 4 patties, season with salt and pepper, garlic, onion powder and Worcestershire.Grill to desired doneness.
• Top each patty with brie slice, and cover until cheese melts. Top with crispy bacon, and caramelized onions.

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