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Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers

Any recipe that calls for an entire bottle of wine is a winner in my book. Last weekend Matt and I grilled the very best burgers ever, and I mean EVER. We found the recipe in one of my Bon Appétit magazines and have had it bookmarked for far too long. Now I’m mad at myself for not making these sooner. These burgers are extremely tender and flavorful. Go ahead, pin them for your next Spring cookout, but don’t wait too long to actually make them!

Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers

Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1 750-ml bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tsp golden brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1.5 lbs ground beef
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil
  • 1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 4 4.5" squares focaccia, cut horizontally in half
  • 8 large tomato slices
  • 2 cups arugula

Instructions

  1. Boil wine and shallots in medium saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter and brown sugar; whisk until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix remaining 8 tablespoons butter and rosemary in small bowl. Set aside.
  2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Mix beef, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup wine-shallot mixture in bowl. Form meat into four 5-inch squares or rounds. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill burgers until brown on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn burgers and brush with wine-shallot mixture. Continue grilling burgers until cooked to desired doneness, turning and brushing occasionally with wine-shallot mixture, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare. Sprinkle with cheese after last turn and grill until cheese melts.
  3. Spread cut sides of bread with rosemary butter. Grill, cut side down, until golden, about 2 minutes. Arrange bread, grilled side up, on plates. Top bottom halves with burgers, then tomatoes and arugula. Cover with top halves of bread.

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Crystal

Monday 29th of February 2016

Wine burgers!?!?? SOLD!!!!

Tracy Lyons

Thursday 12th of November 2015

I have kept this recipe tucked away on my phone since I read your post last year, and I'm happy to report I finally made these! And they were divine!! Hope you are doing well!

Traci

Wednesday 14th of May 2014

That looks pretty much like a perfect burger! YUM. And I totally agree about recipes that include an entire bottle of wine. Holla.

Meredith

Saturday 3rd of May 2014

Yum! We are making these tonight!

Pamela

Monday 28th of April 2014

YUMM!!

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