Chipotle BLT Cheeseburgers are a summertime favourite for us. I've livened up this delicious American classic burger with a little hit of chipotle spice and smoky flavour.
Grilled Chipotle BLT Burgers
The Perfect Burger Starts With the Beef
The best ground beef for the juiciest burgers shouldn't be too lean, because the burgers will be dry. It shouldn't be too fatty, either, because the burgers will catch fire on the grill. Look for sirloin, chuck or round with 15-20 percent fat. My favourite is lean ground chuck (as opposed to "extra lean"), which is exactly 15-20 percent fat.
Burger Mix-Ins
I like to use as few mix-ins as possible, keeping the creativity to the toppings. The burger itself is just simply the meat, seasoned with salt & pepper. That's all. Adding beaten egg, breadcrumbs, rolled oats, etc, does stretch the meat a bit, but it also takes away from the flavour and texture of a great burger.
Forming the burger patties
The secret to a tender, juicy burger patty is to handle the meat gently. Try not to over-handle and overwork it. This will toughen the meat, and your warm hands will melt the fat. Start with cold meat, and gently divide it into even portions before quickly shaping into patties. And, check out this genius trick for forming perfectly shaped and hands-off burger patties.
Food Safe Burgers
It's important to be careful with ground meats to be sure we are food safe. Some steps to take:
- Wash hands thoroughly before, and after, handling raw meat
- Use clean surfaces to prepare raw burgers
- Keep ground meat in the fridge until right before cooking.
- Wash all surfaces in contact with meat thoroughly with hot water and soap.
- Cook all ground beef to an internal temperature of 160° (This is the temp for medium done)
Grilled Chipotle BLT Burgers
Grilling Burgers
Burgers should be grilled over direct high heat. Try to resist the temptation to keep flipping the patties. You should ideally flip only once to achieve even cooking and perfect grill marks. Internal temperature for medium burgers should be 160°
Toppings for Grilled Chipotle BLT Cheeseburgers
There are no limits to what you can top your burger with. Mushrooms, fried eggs, avocado, grilled pineapple, salsa, onion rings, mac & cheese; I could go on forever. They are all delicious novelties, but I like to keep it simple. The cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato are classic burger toppings. However, those classic toppings should be top-notch for the best burger. I'm talking ripe, juicy tomatoes, crisp fresh lettuce, and thick-cut bacon cooked to just the right crispness.
There's a burger for everyone. If you want to include vegetarian friends and family in your barbecue cookout, try Southwestern Veggie Burgers. Accompany your burgers with some oven-baked home fries, (try Rutabaga Fries) and salads like Cucumber Melon Salad, New Potato Salad or Fennel Cabbage Slaw.
And don't forget the drinks. Lavender Lemonade for everyone, and for the adults, try a refreshing Rhubarb Gin & Tonic
Grilled Chipotle Cheeseburgers
Grilled Chipotle BLT Cheeseburgers
Equipment
- barbecue grill
Ingredients
Chipotle Mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Burgers
- 1 lb lean ground chuck 20% fat
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- salt & pepper
- 4 slices of Havarti cheese
- 4 brioche buns
- ketchup, mustard, pickles
- 8 slices of bacon cooked
- 1 tomato large, sliced
- lettuce
Instructions
Chipotle Mayonnaise
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder and lime juice. chipotle powder
- Store the chipotle mayo in the fridge until ready to use.
Burgers
- Preheat grill to high
- oil the grill grate with cooking spray
- Divide the ground beef into four equal portions, shaping each portion into patties about ¾" thick.
- Season patties on both sides with salt & pepper
- Grill over direct high heat 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the patties over, and place a slice of cheese on top of each one.
- Grill 4-5 minutes further.
- Put the burgers on buns and top with bacon, lettuce and tomato
- Slather the top half of the buns with chipotle mayonnaise
Terri
Thanks for all the great burger tips- very helpful! These look amazing and if it wasn't 4:46 AM I'd be firing up that BBQ right now!
Colleen
You're so welcome, Terri, and you are obviously an early bird like me! Cheers.
[email protected]
Oh MAN I love me a good burger. And a blt burger? Well even better. And smoky chipotles (possibly one of the best and most versatile of dried chilies out there)? Well now you're just making it impossible to resist. Great recipe, and great tips on food safety. Cheers.
Colleen
Hi Sean! There is nothing like a good grilled burger in the summer, so don't resist haha. Enjoy!
Joss
This is one delicious, juicy burger.
Colleen
It really is, Joss, hope you give it a try!
Karly
I love everything about this! Thanks for sharing!
Colleen
Thanks so much Karly! Enjoy!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love everything about this burger! Huge burger fan over here and definitely huge chipotle fan. You're totally making me hungry right now and wishing it was lunch time 😉
Jessica
This burger had ALL of my favourite toppings!! Especially love the chipotle mayo - YUM!
kim
This is such a great recipe! So easy with amazing flavor!
Colleen
Hi Kim, so glad that you loved it!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I have been craving a good burger for a while and now I've got to try THIS ONE. You've nailed it!
Colleen
Haha, Thanks, Lisa, Enjoy!!
Lauren Vavala | DeliciousLittleBites
Oh my gosh - I LOVE chipotle everything and this mayo is delicious! These burgers are happening all summer long - so good!!
Colleen
Hi Lauren. So glad you love these. They are so simple but good.
Cindy Gordon
Wow, so many great flavors in this burger! Perfect for summer eating!!
Colleen
Hi Cindy! Burgers on the grill are one of the best parts of summer eating, right?