It’s time: The warm weather has arrived and you’re armed with the legendary Spatula of Destiny, ready to slay hunger with the fire-roasted fare from your trusted barbecue. But if you’re eyeing the crown of Lord of the Grill this summer, you’ll need to up your burger game. Enter the Extreme Burger from Weber’s Big Book of Burgers. This beautiful behemoth is stacked with beef, cheese and bacon, cranking the traditional bun-and-patty combo up to 11. Slather on the garlic mayo and fresh guacamole for a flavour-filled punch that will have guests demanding Round 2. So fire up the grill and become the envy of the neighbourhood. Good grilling, burger champions. Good grilling.

INGREDIENTS
– 2 lbs ground chuck (80% lean)
– 4 slices thick-cut bacon
– 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
– ½ tsp smoked paprika
– ½ tsp onion powder
– 8 thin slices cheddar cheese
– 4 hamburger buns, split
– 4 leaves Boston lettuce
– 1 ripe beefsteak tomato, cut crosswise into 4 slices about ⅓ inch thick
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Mayo
– ⅓ cup mayonnaise
– 1 tsp minced garlic
– Kosher salt
– Freshly ground black pepper

Guacamole
– 2 ripe Hass avocados
– 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
– 2 tsp minced garlic

METHOD
1. In a skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels.
2. Whisk the mayo ingredients, including ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.
3. Mash the guacamole ingredients, including ½ teaspoon salt and ¼  teaspoon pepper.
4. Mix the ground chuck with Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, smoked paprika and onion powder, and then gently form eight patties of equal size, each about ½ inch thick and a little wider than the buns. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.
5. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (400 F to 500 F.)
6. Grill patties over direct medium-high heat with lid closed until cooked to medium doneness (160 F), 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. During the last 30 seconds to 1 minute of grilling time place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt, and toast buns cut-side down over direct heat.
7. Build each burger on a bun with garlic mayo, a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice, two patties, guacamole, a slice of bacon (torn in half), and more garlic mayo. Serve immediately.

SERVES: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Grilling time: 6-8 minutes

bigbookofburgers.weber.com

©2014 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Recipe from Weber’s Big Book of Burgers™ by Jamie Purviance.

Used with permission.