Lunch / Dinner
Jalapeno Popper Burgers
Jalapeño poppers are always a hit, and so are burgers, so why not combine them? Stuff burgers with a cheesy, jalapeño filling, slather sweet brioche buns with a spicy aioli, then serve them with bacon, pickled jalapeños, and the usual burger suspects. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to cheeseburger heaven. If you love jalapeño poppers, you’re going to love these burgers. But if you’re sensitive to heat and are on the fence, look for mild pickled jalapeños.
Ingredients
FOR THE AIOLI, STIR:
FOR THE BURGERS, COMBINE:
SEASON:
TOAST:
Test Kitchen Tip
Ground chuck comes from the shoulder portion of the steer. It’s often labeled 80/20, indicating the ratio of meat to fat is roughly 80 percent meat and 20 percent fat.
Instructions
For the aioli, stir together mayonnaise, garlic, and jalapeños; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate aioli until ready to use.
For the burgers, combine cream cheese, pepper Jack, and jalapeño.
Season chuck with salt and pepper, then shape into 8 patties, slightly larger than the buns.
Divide cream cheese mixture among half the patties, leaving ½-inch border, top with remaining patties, then seal edges of patties.
Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add bacon and cook until crisp; transfer to a plate. Cook patties in drippings 6 minutes; flip and cook 6 minutes more. Transfer burgers to a plate.
Toast buns in same skillet, cut sides down, until golden. Serve burgers on buns with aioli, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and pickled jalapeños.
Place the cheesy filling directly in the center of the patties, so there is enough room for it to spread.
Parchment paper makes it easy to flip the empty patties on top of the patties with cheesy filling.
So the filling doesn’t leak out, carefully seal the edges of the two patties, like you would pie crust.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per burger
Calories: 689
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 50g 76%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 125mg 41%
Sodium 873mg 36%
Carbs 23g 7%
Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 38g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.