Saturday Down South: In 'n Out Animal Style Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip with Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles, Pan Fried Caramelized Onions, Cubed Dill Pickles, Diced Tomatoes, Crispy Bacon Lardons, + Secret Sauce Drizzle

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year... football season!! I swear my Mountain Man has been counting down the days since we won the national championship last season. Now comes the time of friends, tailgating, fatty food, bonfires, and plenty of booze. 

One of the mainstays of our menu is hearty dip, and this recipe that I am featuring today is just that! The inspiration came from a burger joint that is extremely popular in California... In n' Out Burger. Since Alabama is playing USC tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect time to feature my first (of many) tailgate recipes this year. When you order a burger or fries "animal style", this usually means that it comes with extra secret sauce, caramelized onions, mustard grilled patties, and pickles. So, I started off with a creamy dip base and added mustard grilled burger crumbles, crispy bacon lardons, pan fried caramelized onions, cubed bread n' butter pickles, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After it is baked in the oven until golden brown + delicious, you whip a batch of my not-so-secret secret sauce and drizzle it over the top. At this point, everyone will be salivating, so all that is left to do is serve with some some chips or crackers. I also like to put out some different bowls with burger toppings for extra garnishing... pickles, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, + more sauce. That way, when a friend grabs a chip and some dip, they can sprinkle a little bit of this and a little bit of that on top for the perfect bite! This recipe is super easy, so almost anyone can whip it up, don't y'all worry. I hope y'all love this first recipe of the season!! Enjoy :)

For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles:

1lb 75-25 Ground Chuck

¼C Yellow Mustard

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

4T Unsalted Butter

For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions:

2 Large Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter + 2T Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt, To Taste

¼C Sugar

For the Dip:

8oz Herbed Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1C Sour Cream

½C Mayo

2C Shredded Cheddar, Split

2C Mozzarella Cheese, Split

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

1-2T Worcestershire Sauce

½t Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Prepared Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles

Prepared Pan Fried Caramelized Onions

1 Medium Tomato, Diced

½C Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Diced

Shredded Romaine Lettuce

For the Secret Sauce:

1/3C Mayo

3T Ketchup

1-2T Sweet Pickle Relish

1t Sugar + 1 White Vinegar

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, + Paprika

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the open to 350 degrees and spray a pan with Pam.

2. For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles: In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Pour off any extra fat and stir in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and then set it aside.

3. For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and onion in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

4. For the Secret Sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients until everything is incorporated. Taste the sauce and adjust to your taste preferences. Set this sauce aside until you want to top the dip with it.

5. For the Dip: Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and bet until smooth. Add in 1C each of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella (saving the rest to put on top), followed by the mustard grilled burger crumbles, cooled caramelized onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire, spices, diced tomato, and diced pickles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the left over cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and begun to brown on top. Remove the dip from the oven and drizzle the secret sauce over the top. Serve with Ritz crackers or potatoes chips, and have a bowl of shredded lettuce on the side to garnish the dip.

Whiskey Pimento Cheese Burger with Bacon, Red Onion Marmalade, “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw, & Roasted Garlic Aioli on Toasted Brioche Buns

Whiskey Pimento Cheese Burger with Bacon, Red Onion Marmalade, “Condiment-Inspired” 

Romaine Slaw, & Roasted Garlic Aioli on Toasted Brioche Buns

These were some of the best burgers, we've ever cooked. I have never considered myself a master burger-maker, especially not on the grill. They always end up turning into a ground beef mess, where more meat ends up in the bottom of the grill instead of our buns. Not cool. So, as of this summer, we have been really practicing to bump up our cookin' out skills. And these burgers hit the spot! Pimento cheese burgers are my absolute favorite, so I have about 6 million different recipes at my disposal. This is definitely top-knotch. You have to make your own pimento cheese, that is key. I started with my favorite recipe, but went all willy-nilly on it, and added some cold, hard whiskey to the game. If I've said it was I've said it a million times, booze belongs in anything + everything. The other components to this awesome burger include: crispy thick bacon, red onion marmalade, homemade roasted garlic aioli, & perfectly toasted buns. But far and away, the item that brings it over the top has to be the "condiment-inspired" romaine slaw. I got this idea from the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw from my fried chicken banh mi's. Why not make a good 'ole American classic for burgers instead? With lettuce subbed in for cabbage. Done & done. The romaine lettuce is thinly shredded and tossed together with pickles, tomatoes, shaved shallots, a mustard dressing, and a few other tasty treats! It's important to know that you shouldn't toss the slaw together until just before serving that way the texture remains crisp and crunchy. The burgers come together with such a souther, summer harmony. It's like a good country song playin' while you're sippin' on the porch kinda night... but in food form, obviously. I'm sorry that I've been so preoccupied with engagement stuff + wedding planning (ahhh already), but that's kind of what has been taking up my time. But, I'll keep making sure to give y'all new recipes every few days!! Enjoy :)

cooked medium-rare, just like my mountain man likes it.

"condiment-inspired" romaine slaw

summer... between two buns.

For the Homemade Whiskey Spiked Pimento Cheese:

4oz Cream Cheese, Extremely Soft

½C Homemade Roasted Garlic Aioli

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, & Paprika

2t Hot Sauce

2T Sweet Onion, Grated

2T Finely Minced Chives

8oz Pepper Jack or Habanero Jack Cheese, Shredded

16oz Vintage Aged Cheddar Cheese (I like to use 8oz white and 8oz yellow)

2 Roasted Red Peppers, Diced (preferably done at home, instead of store-bought)

½C Candied Jalapenos, Diced

1-2T Whiskey or Bourbon, Very Cold   

For the Roasted Garlic Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Large Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

1 Large Head of Garlic Cloves, Roasted & Pureed (let it cool before mashing or pureeing)

½t Sea Salt (or to taste)

¾C Canola Oil   

For the Mustard Dressing:

1T Yellow Mustard, 1T Dijon Mustard, + 1T Grainy Mustard

1T Honey + 1T Mayo

¼C Bread n’ Butter Pickle Pickling Liquid

2T Taco Pickles Pickling Liquid

2T Candied Jalapeno Liquid

For the “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw:

4C Romaine Hearts, Thinly Shaved/Sliced (roughly 2-3 large hearts)

2 Jalapenos, Thinly Sliced (optional)

1 Bunch of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

½C Homemade Bread n’ Butter Pickles + ¼C of the Pickling Liquid

1C Homemade “Taco Pickles” + 2T of the Pickling Liquid

½C Homemade Candied Jalapenos + 2T of the Candied Liquid

2 Shallots, Thinly Shaved

8oz Cherry Tomatoes, Finely Diced (seeds & juices removed)

Prepared Mustard Dressing

For the Burgers:

80/20 Ground Beef Formed into Patties, Seasoned, & Cooked to Your Liking

Gourmet Brioche Buns, Toasted & Warmed

Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon Slices, Cooked until Crispy

Prepared Whiskey Pimento Cheese

Homemade Red Onion Marmalade

Extra Roasted Garlic Aioli, For Spreading

Prepared “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw, Just Tossed

Heirloom Tomato Slices (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Whiskey Pimento Cheese:In a big mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayo, whiskey, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Separately, shred the three blocks of cheese and put in the bowl with the seasoned creamy mixture. (I use the normal shredding side because I like it more that way for this dip). Toss the mixture together until the mayo is covering all of the cheese. Add in the roasted red peppers and candied jalapeno, and toss until it’s completely incorporated. Season the dip with any additional seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use on top of the burgers.

2. For the Roasted Garlic Aioli:Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, roasted garlic cloves, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with salt, pepper, & sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. For the Mustard Dressing:In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined/incorporated and very smooth. Season it with salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to add to the romaine slaw.

4. For the “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw: Shred the hearts of romaine very thinly, so that it resembles the same look as coleslaw. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the jalapenos, green onions, Sriracha pickles, taco pickles, candied jalapenos, shaved shallots, and chopped cherry tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the condiment components and let it marinate for an hour or two while you are cooking the burgers. Just before serving, add the shredded romaine coleslaw mixture and season with salt & pepper. Toss to cover and combine, and use immediately before it becomes wilted & soggy.

5. Assembling the Burgers:Top one slice of a buttered & toasted bun with a thick layer of homemade roasted aioli. On the bottom slice of each bun, place a cooked burger patty, a few slices of bacon, a scoop of whiskey pimento cheese, homemade red onion marmalade, a slice of heirloom tomato, and a pile of the romaine slaw. Top it with the other slice of the burger bun.

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

I can't stop thinkin' about that stinkin' burger we made yesterday. It was so good. And one of the biggest reasons why is because it was all stacked on a homemade bun. Not any ole' burger bun y'all, a brioche bun. If you've researched making some buns for your burger at home, then you have obviously come across this recipe. It was featured on blogs, such as Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eats, and well, countless others. Each of them ranted and raved about these "light brioche burger buns", and when you keep hearing about 'em, well you eventually have to make them! I finally gave in this last week for the Jimmy Buffett concert and it was sooooooo worth it. They are buttery, soft, yet sturdy enough to hold a juicy burger. All are important qualifications, trust me. These buns would be just as good plain, so don't worry about the extra touch I put on them. But, if you're gonna make them, why not go all out?! Instead of just topping them with boring sesame seeds or poppy seeds... I heavily sprinkled the golden buns with an "everything" bagel topping. Who doesn't love "everything" bagels? Well, okay probably all of your friends who have to smell your breath for the rest of the day, but that's why they are your friends, right? Right. Everyone's reassured... good. Between the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper, you have got one seriously-flavored bun. And for a burger purist like me, who likes to only season a patty with just some good salt + fresh pepper, these buns add a lot of flavor while still keepin' everything classic. In other ways, the way it was intended to be. I can't rave about these enough, and you can certainly add me on to the list of bloggers who will be making these for years to come!! Enjoy :)

Amazing "Everything" Burger Topping

Aren't they just so gorgeous?

For the Brioche Buns:

3T Whole Milk, Warmed

1C Water, Warmed

2t Instant Yeast

2 ½T Sugar

1 ½t Salt

1 Large Egg

3C Bread Flour

1/3C AP Flour

2 ½T Unsalted Butter, Softened

For the “Everything” Topping:

1 Large Egg

1T Water

4t Poppy Seeds

4t Sesame Seeds

4t Dried Garlic (minced or flaked)

4t Dried Onion (minced or chopped)

2t Sea Salt

1t Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions:

1. Making the Dough:In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar, salt and egg.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the bread and AP flours to the bowl, and mix until incorporated.  Mix in the butter.  Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 6-8 minutes.  The dough will be somewhat tacky, but you want to avoid adding too much extra flour, which will create tough buns. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.

2. Prepping for the Buns:Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat (I prefer Silpats).  Using a dough scraper, divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on the two baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart (I put 5-6 dough balls on each baking sheet, which ensures that they won’t touch). Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, 1-2 hours, until puffed up and nearly doubled.

3. For the “Everything” Topping:In a bowl, mix together the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, salt, and pepper until completely incorporated. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Set these both up in a station, along with a pastry brush, for quick assembly. Just a side note, you will not have to use all of the topping, just save the rest for another batch of buns or homemade bagels.

4. Baking the Buns:Set a large metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center. Place one of the baking sheets in the oven and bake the buns for 7 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and then brush them completely with the egg wash and heavily sprinkle the tops with the “everything” seasoning topping. Rotate the pan halfway and return the seasoned buns to the oven and to cook for another 8-10 minutes or until they are perfectly golden brown on top and thoroughly cooked through in the center.

5. Once they are done, remove the buns to a cooling rack to cool completely. After they have cooled, gently slice the buns in half and store them until you are ready to use them.

source: light brioche burger buns.

Muss + Turner Inspired Burgers with Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo, Roasted Poblanos, Pepper Jack Cheese, & Red Onion on Toasted “Everything” Brioche Buns

Muss + Turner Inspired Burgers with Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo, Roasted Poblanos, 

Pepper Jack Cheese, & Red Onion on Toasted “Everything” Brioche Buns

Sorry for not posting the last couple days, I had school and then my friends and I went down to Jacksonville, Florida for the Jimmy Buffett concert. And lemme tell y'all, it was debauchery at its' finest. Here's some pictures from our drunken adventure...

Kisses for Mollie

My car was so packed, we had to sit with stuff on our laps...

My Mountain Man bought this hat off some random people for $50... totally worth it.

debauchery.

Wrong in so many ways (that's a beach ball as my pregnant belly, don't worry) 

Heading into the concert!!

Me + Mollie Tailgatin'

About to grill our burgers

He's not too good at grilling, trust me.

Our Whole Group

Bruschetta Dip. BBQ Pulled Pork Dip. Caramelized Onion Dip. 

Us with two pirates

He loved my hatttttttt :)

Wasted away again in Margaritavilleeeee

Kisses for my Cleetus

"Cheeseburger's in Paradise" that we made, um yum. 

As you can see, it was pretty crazy! We're all still recovering, but it was so worth it. Everyone should go to at least one Jimmy concert in their life, there's nothin' like it. Anywayyyyyy, back to today's recipe. For our tailgate, I made some homemade brioche buns, but to make them extra special... I topped them with a classic "everything" bagel seasoning mix. There were poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, onion flakes, salt, and pepper all gorgeously sprinkled on top of the perfectly browned buns. They were to die for. So much so, that when we had a few left over, I knew we had to make some burgers this weekend. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to make a burger inspired by one of my favorite lunch spots in Atlanta, Muss + Turner. They have a bunch of great options, but their burger is always raved about. It's layered with roasted poblano peppers, aged cheddar, red onion, and a cilantro mayo. I mean, those are some great components y'all. It was mixed up a bit today because we used pepper jack cheese and a cilantro-candied jalapeno mayo. This burger is sweet, smoky, salty, creamy, & spicy. That sounds perfectly balanced in my book. Well, I'm happy to report it was fabulous and definitely ranks in the top five of any burger that I have made. All of the handmade components really take it over the top, especially that bun. I'm not including the bun in this recipe, but don't you worry, I'll post that recipe tomorrow afternoon. So, please check back!! Enjoy :)

Look at all those perfect layers, y'all :)

For the Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo:

½C Mayo

¼C Fresh Cilantro, Minced

2T Candied Jalapenos, Minced

1T Lime Juice

1 Small Clove of Garlic, Minced into a Paste (with a little salt)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (a pinch of sugar, if needed)

For the Cumin Burger Seasoning:

2t Sea Salt

1t Fresh Cracked Pepper

½t Cumin

For the Muss + Turner Burger:

Homemade “Everything” Brioche Buns, Sliced & Toasted (or fried in butter)

Ground Chuck Beef Patties

Prepared Cumin Burger Seasoning

Prepared Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo

Pepper Jack Cheese Slices

Roasted Poblano Peppers (one per burger)

Thinly Sliced Red Onion

Directions:

1. For the Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until incorporated. Season the mayo with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. For the Cumin Burger Seasoning: Mix together the spices in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides of the burger patties.

3. Assembling the Burgers: Season the burger patties with the prepared cumin seasoning. Sear the burgers over high heat until you have reached your preferred doneness (we like ours medium to medium-rare). Toast your brioche bun in the oven or fry them in oil until golden brown & crispy. Spread a big spoonful of the Cilantro-Candied Jalapeno Mayo on both sides of the buns. Layer the burger by placing down some of roasted poblano, followed by the burger, more roasted poblano, and a slice of pepper jack cheese. Toast the cheese topped burger in the oven until it has just melted. Remove it from the oven and finish it off with some thinly sliced onion and the top piece of the bun.

4. Enjoy immediately while it’s still warm!