Bleu Burgers on Artisan Buns

Hey!  How are ya?  Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you like today's recipe. :)

I had a hankering.  I wanted something savory, salty, slightly sweet and chewy.  I wanted a burger with Bleu Cheese.  YUM!  But I didn't want to stop at the store to get some of those buns.  You know the ones-- dry, loaded with preservatives and always turn some shade of blue or green on your counter before you throw them out.  Ick!  And for a person living by herself, I feel like I'm wasting food if I buy bread because I can never eat the whole thing before it goes bad.  But if I make my own bread, I can make just as much as I need and nothing goes to waste.  Plus, it tastes better!

If you've been glancing at the blog lately, you know I've got a thing for artisan bread.  :)  I used the Artisan Bread Dough to make my hamburger buns.  Super simple! 

It's grillin' season here in the Treasure Valley.  I smell all sorts of things wafting through the neighborhood as I walk the pups after work.  And the weather is getting better-- less rain and more sun.  Yay!    You may notice something.  I like my burgers with pickle chips.  I know, I'm weird.  But ya gotta love me anyway, right?

Bleu Cheese Burgers
1 lb Artisan Bread Dough (grapefruit size, link above)
Sesame Seeds
2 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water
1 lb ground beef (93% lean is what I use)
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup Bleu Cheese crumbles
tomato
lettuce
pickles
ketchup
mustard

Making the Buns
1.  Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Form into a ball and flatten slightly.  Let rest on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper for 40 minutes.
2.  Preheat oven to 450°F and place the pizza stone inside with a pan at the bottom to hold water.
3.  Make a cross pattern in the top of the bun with a serrated knife- cutting about 1/8 to 1/4" deep.  Brush top with cornstarch mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
4.  Place buns on preheated pizza stone.  Add a cup of HOT tap water to the pan in the oven and close the door.  Bake for about 25 minutes.
5.  Place on a rack to cool while you make the burgers.

Making the Burgers
1.  Preheat grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes or so.  Be sure to oil the grates well.

2.  Divide the meat into four equal pieces.  Pat out into a disc that is about 4 inches across.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3.  Grill over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove the meat from the heat and let rest a few minutes.

4.  Combine the mayo with the bleu cheese crumbles in a small bowl.  This makes it easier to put on the burger and helps it stick to the bun instead of fall off! :)

5.  Cut a bun in half and dig out a bit of the bread inside.  Fill the void with 1/4 of the bleu cheese mixture.  Top with a meat patty and add other desired toppings (ketchup, lettuce, tomato, mustard, pickles, etc.).  Repeat with remaining burger patties and buns.


And here's a peek into what the pups were doing while I was cooking...

Tobie was chillin' on the couch.

Keeping watch over the neighborhood.



And Ralfie was running around the backyard.