America has a love affair with cheeseburgers. From fast-food to fine dining, there are different versions of this national favorite in every region. Inspired by the bounty of green chilis ready for picking in my back yard, I found myself craving a burger with flavors of the desert Southwest. Opting for flavorful ground bison spiced with garlic and coriander, I created a green chili "special sauce" to compliment with just the right amount of heat. Creamy pepper jack cheese and smokey bacon were the final touches on a unique and satisfying burger.

Ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons roasted green chilis, diced (see notes)

1 teaspoon ketchup

½ teaspoon ground cumin

⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

8 slices thick cut bacon

1 ½ pounds ground bison

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ small onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 slices pepper jack cheese

4 burger buns, toasted

Optional for serving:

Sliced tomatoes, onions, avocado, and leaf lettuce

Directions:

Make green chili burger sauce: In small bowl mix mayonnaise, green chilis, ketchup, cumin, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Make dry seasoning mix: In bowl mix 1 ½ teaspoons salt with the coriander, chipotle and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.

Place bacon slices in a cold large skillet or griddle. Turn heat to medium and fry bacon to desired crispiness. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels. Drain and reserve bacon drippings.

In large bowl, gently mix ground bison, garlic, chopped onion and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 4 patties, about 6 ounces each. Place patties on plate and let rest for thirty minutes at room temperature.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, generously season both sides of the patties with the dry seasoning mix and place in pan. You should hear a good sizzle when they hit the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on first side without moving to form a nice crust. Flip burgers and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes. Check temperature on burger with meat thermometer for desired doneness:

Medium-rare 135 degrees F (about 6 minutes total cooking time)

Medium 145 degrees F (6 to 7 minutes total time)

Well done 160 degrees F (8 to 9 minutes total time)

Add cheese and 2 slices of bacon each, when you have about one minute of cooking time left, and cover skillet with lid to melt cheese. When done place burgers on warm platter and allow to rest for a minute while you toast the buns.

Assemble burgers with a generous dollop of green chili burger sauce, and other favorite burger toppings. Have extra burger sauce on table for passing.

Notes:

Bison is a very flavorful lean meat that can easily dry out if overcooked. In this recipe, cooking the burgers on the stovetop in a skillet with bacon drippings helps retain moisture that would otherwise be lost from grilling. At the Waitsburg Grocery, I was able to find some lovely bison meat from local producer, Eckler Mountain Bison. If you can't find bison meat, this recipe could easily be made with ground beef, or even ground turkey.

Canned diced fire-roasted green chilis are readily available in grocery stores, from mild to hot. If using canned, drain excess liquid before adding to sauce. If you want to make your own gather 2 to 4 nice sized fresh green chilies, such as Anaheim, poblano, hatch, jalapeño, or even serrano (if you like extra heat). Place chilies in hot dry skillet or over a hot grill, and using tongs to turn frequently, char evenly on all sides. Don't worry if they look burnt. When done, place in a bowl and cover with plastic for ten minutes. Then with a pairing knife, gently peel off all the skin, which should easily come off. Then cut off stems, discard seeds, and chop chilis.

This past week I topped this burger with tomatoes, sweet onions, and watercress, all from our garden. Only after finishing dinner did I remember the avocado sitting on the counter. Oops. Try serving this flavorful burger with any of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!