Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
Salt
1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of firm white bread
8 slices of thick-cut bacon
2 pounds ground beef chuck (20 percent fat), formed into 4 patties the same size as the bread slices
3 ounces smoked Gouda, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt, cover and cook, stirring a few times, until the onion is crisptender and just turning translucent, 5 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce and beef broth and remove from the heat. Season with salt.
- Heat a large griddle. Spread the butter on 1 side of each bread slice and griddle buttered side down over moderate heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the toasts to a plate. Add the bacon to the griddle and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 4 minutes per side; drain on paper towels. Wipe off the griddle.
- Season the beef patties with salt and cook on the griddle over moderately high heat until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side. Top each burger with ¼ cup of smoked Gouda and cook until the cheese melts, 1 minute.
- Set the burgers on the unbuttered sides of 4 toasts. Top with the bacon, onion and barbecue sauce. Close the burgers and serve, passing more barbecue sauce at the table.
