This recipe was part of the Tailgating Recipe Touchdown Challenge which ended Sep 13, 2011 12:00 PM. See winners »

• 3 TBSP Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Handmade Whisky
• 2 pounds ground sirloin at least 20% fat
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 TBSP crushed garlic
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt to taste
• 1 package of smoked Gouda cheese
• 1 package of bacon
• Pretzel Rolls
• *Optional – pre-made or mix your own herbed butter (basil, oregano, chives & garlic)

1. First you fry the bacon. Don’t throw away the bacon grease yet. Once the bacon has cooled down, chop it up into small pieces.
2. Hand mix all ingredients in a bowl.
3. Get out a cookie sheet and spray it with a little non-stick cooking spray or spread a small layer of olive oil on it.
4. Fashion half the meat into an even number of patties and place them on the cookie sheet.
5. Place a good sized sprinkle of smoked Gouda on top of each patty.
6. Cover each of them with the chopped bacon pieces
7. Make another equal amount of patties and place one on top of each of the bacon-smoked Gouda topped patties
8. *Optional – add 1 pat of herbed butter.
9. Take each of the double patties and seal up the edges by gently pushing the sides of the burger together. When you are done, they will look like big fat burger patties and no one will see the surprise hiding inside.
10. Place the burgers in the fridge for at least an hour. This will allow the patties to harden a little which will keep them held together.
11. Preheat grill to medium.
12. Shape mixture into ½” patties.
13. Grill burgers about 5 minutes a side, keeping lid closed where possible.
14. Butter potato rolls before lightly grilling them to toast.