Southern Pimento Cheese Burgers

Ingredients:

Pimento Cheese:

• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar, room temperature
• 1/3 cup shredded Monterey jack, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 ounces jarred diced pimento peppers, drained
• 1 tablespoon bread and butter pickle juice
• 1/2 tablespoon horseradish sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Honey Slaw:

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cabbage
• 8 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon

Patties:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
• 1/4 pound cured and smoked country ham, finely chopped (or chopped in a food processor)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 potato hamburger buns, split
• 1/2 cup crushed kettle-cooked plain potato chips

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. To prepare Pimento Cheese, in a medium mixing bowl, combine Cheddar and Jack cheeses, mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimento peppers, pickle juice, horseradish sauce, and mustard; mix until well combined.
3. To prepare Honey Slaw, in a small mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, honey, and cabbage; mix until well combined.
4. Heat a 12-inch nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping once. Drain on paper towels. Pour off almost all of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving a very thin layer.
5. To make the patties, combine the beef, country ham, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties to fit the buns.
6. Using the same grill pan as before, cook the hamburgers over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side or until cooked medium rare.
7. Meanwhile, place buns on a rack in the oven. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Also, place the plates that the burgers will be served on in the oven to heat.
8. To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of Pimento Cheese on the cut sides of the buns. On each bun bottom (on top of the Pimento Cheese), place a thin layer of Honey Slaw. Top the slaw with a burger patty, 2 slices of bacon, and crushed potato chips. Add the bun tops. Place the completed hamburgers on a nonstick baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 minute. Serve burgers on warm plates.

Notes: