Bison Bacon Cheeseburger Recipe

• 6 slices smoked bacon (about 6 ounces)
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds ground bison meat
• 6 thin slices Swiss cheese (about 3 1/4 ounces)
• 6 toasted burger buns
• 1/2 medium Hass avocado, sliced just before serving

1. Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the middle. Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside; do not discard bacon fat (you should have about 2 tablespoons). Return the pan to medium heat, add onion and jalapeños, and cook in reserved bacon fat until soft and starting to color, about 4 minutes; set aside.
3. Mix together Worcestershire, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until egg is broken up. Add bison meat and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Shape meat mixture into 6 (3/4-cup) patties and place on the rack inside the baking sheet. Broil until browned and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes for medium. Place cheese on top of patties and cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
5. To serve, place cheeseburgers on buns and top with bacon, avocado slices, and sautéed onion mixture.

Beverage pairing: Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel, California. Sometimes wines are dismissively cast off as “hamburger wines,” meaning that they’re not fit for anything better. But a good hamburger is a complex thing, a mélange of flavors and textures that deserves a great wine. Zinfandel has all the red fruit and sappy depth to pair perfectly with a burger, but this one from Ridge has a firm and elegant structure to bring a little bit of discipline to the pairing.