Smoked Blue Cheese Burgers with Warm Saskatoon Berry-Red Onion Relish

The flavours in this burger – blue cheese, red onion, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary - couldn’t be a better match. Don’t have a smoker? No worries, grill ‘em instead.

Makes 6 Burgers

1.5 – 2 lbs ground beef, ideally 25-30% fat content

Be a Kitchen Hero Burnt Canoe Steak Spice* or salt and pepper

6 slices blue cheese

1 cup saskatoon berries

2 cups sliced red onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

Oil, for sauteeing

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

½ cup water

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 heaping tsp honey

6 burger buns

Arugula sprouts or baby arugula

Preheat smoker to 225°F (burgers can also be grilled on the BBQ). Form the ground beef into 6 patties, being careful not overwork the meat or form them too tightly as this will make for a tough burger. Sprinkle both sides with the Burnt Canoe. Place on the smoker and smoke for 1 hour. Top each burger with a slice of blue cheese and smoke another 10-15 minutes, until burgers are fully cooked. Toast the burger buns.

Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, saute the saskatoons, red onion, and garlic in the oil for several minutes. Add the rosemary and bay leaf. Add ½ cup water and cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook off any remaining water. Add balsamic vinegar and honey. Stir for several minutes until relish thickens slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, smear mayonnaise on the bottom bun. Top with the burger patty, add some relish, and sprouts or baby greens and then finish off with the top bun.

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