A Fourth of July get-together without burgers would like Thanksgiving without turkey, St. Patrick’s Day without corned beef, syttende mai without lefse.
Here’s a recipe from the king of burgers himself, Bobby Flay. It’s adapted from a recipe in “Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries and Shakes” (Crown Publishing, $25.95).
The Cheyenne Burger has something for everyone. It is topped with two slices of crisp-cooked bacon, a slice of smoky Cheddar cheese, onion rings and some parsley and then is slathered with barbecue sauce.
Cheyenne Burger
1½ pounds ground chuck (or ground turkey)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1½ tablespoons canola oil
4 slices (½ ounce each) smoked sharp Cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
½ cup favorite barbecue sauce
8 slices crisp-cooked bacon
Fried onion rings (optional)
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. Form each portion loosely into a ¾-inch-thick burger; make a deep depression in the center of each with your thumb. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Preheat the grill to high. Brush burgers with the oil. Grill them until nicely seared on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and sear them on the second side, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. During the last minute of cooking, top with cheese and cover to melt the cheese.
Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and slather each with barbecue sauce. Top with bacon, onion rings if using, parsley and bun tops. Serve immediately.
Yield: Serves 4.