Bacon Peanut Butter Burgers

Please don’t run away in fear from the name.  I know, it sounds incredibly off the wall weird.  And, let me just say, I was thinking the same thing you are right now when I first saw the name of this burger.  Yes, I did inquisitively question the waiter about it too.  During the questioning my nose was turned so far up in the air.  After talking to him and him guaranteeing me that it actually was really good I decided to throw caution to the wind and try it…but with the peanut butter on the side!

Before I tell you my thoughts, let me give you a little back story on the restaurant.  It was a local restaurant here in Little Rock, a burger joint that was located on President Clinton Avenue, and it was names Bill’s Street Burgers.  Folks, they had amazing burgers.  The burgers alone were seasoned to perfection, and tasted the same each and every time we ate there.  A perfectly seasoned and juicy burger is a hard thing to do, so these guys definitely knew there stuff when it came to burgers.

They had all sorts of burgers on the menu; some a little more traditional with mayo and cheese, others with sauteed mushrooms and onions,some sported a fried egg atop the juicy patty, and then there were just some off the wall burgers such as the bacon peanut butter burger.  The toppings were just an enhancement of the delicious burgers, they weren’t needed to add flavor by any means.  Sadly, the restaurant is no longer opened…and it was a sad sad day in this household when we learned the Bill’s Street Burgers was no longer. So after consoling ourselves, we decided to do what any restaurant fanatic would do, try to recreate some of our menu favorites right here at home.

It took some trial and error, especially getting the perfectly seasoning patty, but I believe we finally mastered it.  So, to finish my story I started earlier, they brought the bacon peanut butter burger out (with the peanut butter on the side).  I poured a small amount on a little portion of the burger, put the top back on, closed my eyes and took a bite all while Spencer was watching with suspense.  I chewed for a few seconds, then opened my eyes and had a big smile on my face.  I quickly got the remaining peanut butter and poured it over the rest of my burger and enjoyed each and every bite…with the exception of the bite Spencer took.  Of course, he had to sample it.

 So, before you make up your mind that this sounds horrible and so far off the wall that you don’t want to have anything to do with it, just give it a shot.  Make up your burgers, cook your bacon and heat up a little peanut butter.  Do as I did, pour a little peanut butter on a small portion of the burger and taste.  Give it a chance, and see what you think.  I turned a major skeptic, my husband, into a lover of this burger.  Although it’s not the burger you’ll want every single time you grill out, it’s definitely a change of pace and something a little different to enjoy from time to time.

Bacon Peanut Butter Burgers

Ingredients:


1 Lb ground beef
1 Tsp liquid smoke
1/4 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 Pieces cooked bacon, cut in half
1/4 Cup peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
4 Hamburger buns
Mayonnaise

Directions:


Preheat grill.

Meanwhile, combine ground beef, liquid smoke, garlic powder, steak seasoning, salt and pepper and gently mix to combine being sure not to overwork the meat.  Form into 4 patties of equal size, gently making an indention in the center.

Place on preheated grill and cook to desired wellness.

When burgers are almost done, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each side of the buns and place on the grill but not over direct heat.

Remove the cooked burgers and toasted buns.

Place peanut butter in a microwave safe dish and heat for 20-30 seconds, until peanut butter is able to be drizzled.

To assemble, place hamburger patty on the bottom half of the bun, top with 3 pieces of bacon, drizzle with a little peanut butter and place the top half of the bun on the patty.  Repeat with remaining burgers and serve.

Recipe source: Inspired by Bill’s Street Burgers