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© Copyright 1995-2023, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA USA
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Recipe from: Fred Thompson, Epicurious, August 2009
Servings: 6
Even folks in the South, where pimiento cheese is lovingly called the "pâté of the South," will give you a quizzical look when you mention this burger. I always thought its true home was around Columbia, South Carolina, and the lower upstate area. But then I saw a pimiento cheeseburger on the menu in a wonderful burger joint and restaurant called Litton's, in Knoxville, Tennessee, so I guess a good idea can cross state lines. So here's how to do it, complete with a little pimiento cheese recipe, but the burger's not bad even if you have to use a good-quality store-bought pimiento cheese.
1 small white onion, grated
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup good-quality mayonnaise (I prefer Duke's or JFG®)
1 2 ounce jar diced pimientos, drained
freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds 80% lean ground chuck, or 1½ pounds 80% lean ground chuck plus 8 ounces 90% lean ground sirloin
Kosher salt
6 hamburger buns, preferably onion flavored
pickled jalapeño chile slices
In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, both cheeses, mayonnaise, and pimientos. If you need additional mayonnaise to make it creamy, add a little bit at a time. Grind copious amounts of black pepper and stir that into the cheese mixture.
Divide the ground beef into 6 equal portions and shape into patties about ¾ inch thick. Remember to put a slight indentation into the center of each patty. Season both sides of the burgers liberally with salt and pepper. Oil the grill racks. Preheat your grill using all burners set on high and with the lid closed for 10 to 12 minutes.
lace the burgers on the grill and lower the heat to medium. Grill for about 5 minutes. Turn the patties and continue grilling until they reach your desired doneness, about 4 additional minutes for medium, 6 minutes for medium-well. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the buns, cut side down. At the last minute before taking the hamburgers off the grill, put a generous spoonful of pimiento cheese on each. Take the buns from the grill, place on a platter, set a burger on each bun bottom, add pickled jalapeños on top of the pimiento cheese, and serve.