Chili Bacon Burgers

Ingredients

8 thick slices center-cut bacon
2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 small onion, half grated and half finely chopped, divided
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons (2 palmfuls) chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Salt and ground black pepper

8 thin slices pepper jack or cheddar cheese
4 Kaiser rolls, split
1/2 cup chili sauce or chipotle salsa
Tortilla chips, for serving

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Arrange the bacon slices on a broiler pan and bake in the oven until crispy and cooked, about 8 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the burgers. Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. While the pan heats up, combine the ground sirloin with the grated onion, garlic, jalapeño and spices. Season with salt and pepper, and mix everything together with your hands.

Score the meat into four with the side of your hand and shape each portion into four large patties, dropping them into the hot pan as you shape them. Cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, lay 2 pieces of cheese over each burger and tent the pan loosely with foil to melt the cheese.

Toast the rolls under the broiler. Serve the burgers on the toasted buns topped with chili sauce or salsa, some chopped onion, 2 strips of bacon each and a handful of tortilla chips alongside.