The Wood's Kitchen Blended Burger

Worcestershire Glaze:

• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Pinch white pepper

Charred Onions:

• 2 Vidalia onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Burgers:

• 20 ounces Hunter Cattle Wood’s Blend Ground Beef (or a blend of ground chuck and short rib with a 65/35 meat to fat ratio)
• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Vegetable oil
• 8 toasted Gottlieb’s Porcini Salted Mushroom Brioche Bun (or any heavy brioche bun)

Make the Worcestershire glaze: in a saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the Worcestershire sauce by half, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the corn syrup, thyme, cayenne, and white pepper. Let the sauce reduce by a quarter or until thick and syrupy, about 7 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Make the charred onions: separate the onions rings. In a large bowl, season the onions with the grapeseed oil and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat to its smoking point. Add the onion rings to the skillet and allow them to char. Flip the onions and let the other side char, about 1 minute per side. Remove the onions from the pan and place them in an airtight container so they steam using the residual heat. 

Make the burgers: in a large bowl, combine the ground beef and chopped mushrooms. Form into eight 4-ounce balls and season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat to its smoking point. Lightly oil the skillet and place the burgers in the hot oiled skillet.

Working with 2 burgers at a time, sear the first side of the burgers for 2 minutes. Using your spatula, flatten the burger balls and sear for 30 seconds. Flip the patties and sear for 1 more minute. Remove the patties from the pan and brush with the Worcestershire glaze. Continue with the remaining 6 patties.

Place each cooked burger on the bottom half of the toasted buns. Top the patties with a mound of the charred onions and then brush with another layer of the Worcestershire glaze. Place the top half of the bun on top and serve.