Tailgate Thursday - Chile-Lime Mayo Cheeseburgers

For the Cheddar Cheeseburgers:

1  pound sweet sausage

1  pound Monterey Jack jalapeno cheddar cheese, grated

3 1/2  pounds lean or extra-lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)

2  cups diced yellow or sweet onion

2  cups minced, fresh cilantro

3  tablespoons Santa Fe Seasons chili blend, or 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1  tablespoon salt

1  tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Step 1.  Prep and place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl as you work.

Step 2.  Thoroughly combine the mixture.  The best way to do this is with your hands.

Step 3.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. This will give all of the wonderful flavors time to marry.

While the meat is in the refrigerator:

For the Chile-Lime Mayonnaise:

1  cup mayonnaise

1  cup minced, fresh cilantro

1  7 1/2-ounce jar sliced jalapeno peppers, well-drained

1  lime, all of its zest and 1 tablespoon of its juice

1  teaspoon sugar

1/4  teaspoon salt

Step 1.  Prep and place all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor which has been fitted with the steel blade.

Step 3.  Transfer Chile-Lime Mayo to a food storage container, cover and refrigerate until serving time. Now it's time to prep:

Step 2.  With motor running, process the mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Scrape down the sides of the work bowl using a large rubber spatula and process again for about 15 seconds.

It's time to cook the burgers, and today, because of the rain, I'm doing them under the broiler in my kitchen.  If you are doing them on an outdoor gas grill, the cooking time will be about the same, about 8-10 minutes per side!

Step 1.  Once again, I'm using three of those 11 3/4" x 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" disposable aluminum broiler pans, the ones with the corrugated bottoms that I love so much.  Using a kitchen scale as a measure, divide the meat into 12, 8-ounce portions.  Using your hands, form the portions into discs, about 3/4" thick, lightly compressing each disc between the palms of your hands.

Step 2.  Position the oven rack 7"-8" underneath preheated broiler.  

Step 3.  Broil the burgers, 8-10 minutes per side, turning only once, until they are golden brown on each side.  Ohhh so wonderful!  

Step 4.  Remove burgers from broiler and allow them to rest, 2-3 minutes before assembling and serving according to the following directions:

Slather the bottom of the bun with a thin layer of Chile-Lime Mayo.

My preference is to place in the following order:

lettuce

onion

tomato

the burger

a slather/drizzle Chile-Lime Mayo

sliced avocado