September 06, 2010

Barbeque Nirvana: Bacon Cheeseburgers and Fruit Kabobs!

Our Labor Day barbecue this year consisted of Bacon Cheeseburgers and Fruit Kabobs. Kokopelli's Kitchen choose these mouth-drooling recipes from "The Secrets of Caveman Cooking" by Rick Snider. Permission to print granted by Golden West Publishers in Phoenix, AZ.

BACON CHEESEBURGERS
Anyone can just put the toppings on a burger. Let's include them inside the meat. When you get to the cheesy bacon middle, it is pure nirvana!
  • 2 pounds lean HAMBURGER
  • 8 slices cooked BACON
  • 1 cup shredded CHEESE
  • SALT and PEPPER to taste
  1. Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes with burners on high.
  2. Make 8 burgers that are thin and wide. Place a slice of bacon in the center of each burger and sprinkle with cheese, add salt and pepper. Fold edges in to seal the center.
  3. Turn burners to medium. While it seems ironic to use lean hamburgers, it has less fat so the drippings don't increase the flames and burn the meat.
  4. Place burgers on grill. Close grill lid. Cook 3 minutes per side for rare, 5 minutes for medium and 7 minutes for well done. Remember, they'll take a little longer than usual because they're thicker.
  5. Don't forget to toast the buns on the grill
Serves 8.
FRUIT KABOBS Choose your favorite fruits because you can use them all. However, apples, pineapples, plums, bananas and pears work best.
  • 1-inch CHUNKS OF FRUIT (apples, pineapples, pears, etc.)
  • 1 tsp. SUGAR
  • 1/2 cup WATER
  1. Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes with burners on high.
  2. Alternate fruit on skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak for 20 minutes before using).
  3. Turn burners to low. Place skewers on burners. Close lid. Cook 4 minutes.
  4. Turn skewers and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  5. Mix sugar with water. Place in a sprayer bottle. After removing fruit from grill, spray with sugar water to moisten.
  6. Serve in bowls.