The Legendary Bigfoot Burger...

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

The Legendary Bigfoot Burger
Features:
Scratch Artisan Buns
Smash Cooking Technique
Smoked Swiss Cheese
Beer Battered Bacon Wrapped Onion Ring

Scratch Artisan Buns
Ingredients: (makes 8 buns)
3/4 -1 cup lukewarm water
2 tbsp. butter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. instant yeast
3 tbsp. melted butter (for brushing)
Directions:
1. Mix all dry dough ingredients together, add egg and water, mix by hand to make a smooth dough.
2. Cover and let dough rise for 1-2 hours, until nearly doubled in size.
3. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball to about 3" diameter. Place the buns in a parchment paper lined dutch oven(s). Cover and let rise for 1 hour, until they are puffed up.
4. Brush the buns with half of the melted butter and bake at 375F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove buns from the oven and place on a wire rack. Brush them with the remaining melted butter and let them cool.

The Smash Burger
Ingredients: (Makes 8 burgers)
8 tbsp. melted butter
2 lbs. ground beef (20% fat)
montreal steak seasoning
8 slices smoked swiss cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat a lightly oiled 12" skillet over medium heat for five minutes.
2. Divide burger into 8 equal portions, approximately 1/4 lb. each. Form each portion into a 2" tall cylinder, loosely pressing together until it holds its shape, without the meat falling apart. Sprinkle each cylinder with Montreal Steak Seasoning, on both sides.
3. Increase heat to high, until skillet is smoking, brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter in the area where the burger will be cooked. Place meat cylinder onto buttered cooking surface and smash into a patty, within 30 seconds after meat is placed onto cooking surface. Hold pressure on smashed burger for 10-15 seconds.
4. Cook without moving, until golden brown crust forms. (Approx. 2 - 2 1/2 mins.) Carefully drive spatula under the crust to flip the burger. Add cheese, cover and cook for one more minute.

Beer Batter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 - 1 1/2 cups beer

Deep Fried Beer Battered Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings
Ingredients: (Makes 8 onion rings)
2 large sweet yellow onions
16 -20 slices of good quality bacon
Beer batter
olive oil

Directions:
1. Slice onions and select 8 rings.
2. Slice bacon long ways, leaving both strips attached at one end. (About 1/2" from the end)
3. Hang a piece of bacon over onion ring and wrap each strip in opposite directions, make sure to tuck each end under itself to keep it from unwrapping. Continue until onion ring is completely wrapped.
4. carefully place each wrapped ring on a barbecue grill and cook until bacon is soft cooked.
5. Remove from grill and dip in beer batter. Fry rings in hot oil (375F) until golden brown.