Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil

This was my contribution to the most recent meal exchange (June 2010). When we made these on the trial run, Tim got the grill too hot and he charred them a little (sorry, honey - they were still good). The sausage has some fat and it is easy to get a good flame going on these, so either use lower heat for longer or maybe even cook them on the stovetop. I think if you cook them in a pan on the stove, with the lid on - they would cook through and retain all the juices vs. them all dripping out on the grill.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
1/2 pound raw Italian sausage removed from the casing(s)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces soft goat cheese
3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
3 fresh basil leaves, sliced
4+ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Mix the beef, sausage and salt together. Be careful not to over-work the mixture. It can be helpful to coarsely chop the beef and sausage with a knife and then loosely toss together before mixing more thoroughly with the salt.

Divide into four equal 1/2-pound pieces. Remove about 1/5 of each half-pound portion and set the small pieces aside. Use your hands to shape each of the remaining four portions into a "flattened bowl" shape into which you can put the filling.

Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and slice.

Place 1/4 of the goat cheese into each burger, and then top with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.

Flatten each of the four small reserved pieces of burger mixture into flat disks. Place a disk on top of the filling for each burger, and then work the burger mixture closed with your fingers.

Flatten the burgers further as much as possible without risking breaking the seal to the stuffing.

Throw them on the grill. Enjoy!

These burgers must be fully cooked because of the sausage used in the mixture.

Author: Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet