Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burgers With Fig And Pear Recipe

A craft burger is always a little risqué. Likely because a simple combo of ground beef, salt, and pepper is already very good, dressing up the patty has become an art form, so much so that many restaurants specialize in it. Moreover, burgers piled high with condiments and toppings that would otherwise be considered side dishes fill American menus, and the best among them are the ones you'd never put together yourself. 

A good example? This recipe shared by developer Michelle McGlinn, which combines funky, creamy blue cheese with sweet fig jam and honey-roasted pears. If you're not so sure about blue cheese, we urge you to give it a try. The tangy flavor might be strong on its own, but it's much more muted between the savory folds of ground beef and faintly sweet toppings. If you don't have time to stuff the patties, the cheese is just as good melted on top, so don't let a busy weeknight stop you from enjoying a perfect barbecued treat.

Like most burgers, we recommend picking up an 80/20 blend of ground beef, because a high-fat blend yields a juicier patty. Gather salt, pepper, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce to season the burger, as well as 4 hamburger buns to slide the patty into when you're done — we like brioche here.

Next, grab a mild crumbled blue cheese, fig jam, and a couple firm pears. To roast the pears, have some olive oil and honey on hand. If you can't find fig jam, try apricot or prune jam instead; mildly sweet jams work best here.

Before anything else, preheat the oven to 400 F, line a baking tray with parchment paper, and roast the pears so they are soft and caramelized by the time you're ready to build your burger. If you don't have time to roast the pears, you can skip this step and use raw pears instead — they'll just be a little crunchier. If you can plan for it, though, the pears may be roasted and refrigerated up to 5 days ahead. To roast, spread the pears on a baking sheet and cover in honey and oil. Season with salt and pepper, then roast until soft and golden, about 15 minutes. (Don't turn the oven off just yet, as you'll use it again later.)

This recipe makes 4 quarter-pound burgers, but if you'd prefer a larger patty, grab an extra pound of meat and double the size of the patties. To make the patties, mix the ground beef and seasonings (salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and chopped rosemary) together, then split into 4 even sections. Split each portion in half and form into miniature patties. Add the blue cheese crumbles to the middle of 4 patties, then place the other 4 patties on top. Pinch the sides closed and press down firmly to seal. 

If you have a grill, feel free to set it to medium heat and cook the patties there. For pan-searing, set up a cast iron skillet over medium heat and heat a small amount of neutral oil until shimmering. Add the patties and cook, pressing down on the meat to keep the sides from separating, until a brown crust forms all over, about 3 minutes per side. For medium doneness (meaning there is a little bit of pink in the middle), pull the patties off the heat just after the crust forms and finish them in the still-hot oven to gently melt the cheese in the middle.

Pile the softened pears on a bottom bun and place a stuffed patty on top. Swirl a spoonful of fig jam on top of the meat, then close the burger with the top bun. Repeat with the remaining burgers, and serve immediately so the cheese oozes out of the patty upon the very first bite.

These burgers can certainly be saved for later, but we recommend storing each component separately for best reheating. Store the patties in one container and the pears in another, then reheat the patties in the microwave when ready to serve. The pears can go on cold or be reheated with just a quick zap in the microwave. As for serving suggestions, we recommend pairing these fall-forward burgers with any autumnal sides, such as homemade sweet potato truffle fries.