Burgers with Blueberry BBQ Sauce, Goat Cheese, & Spicy Pickled Red Onions

I know. These burgers may sound strange. I mean, who puts blueberries on a burger?! This weirdo right here.

Trust me. It’s incredible.

Blueberry BBQ sauce is something I came up with after watching someone on TV make a BBQ sauce with peaches. I thought the sweetness of blueberries would be perfect if balanced with something super savory. Bonus: you can totally make this sauce year round with frozen blueberries. It comes out just as well. This recipe took me awhile to get just right…BBQ sauce can be tricky! It needs to be a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. After much tweaking, I finally got it right!

To complement the spice of the sauce, I schmear on some softened goat cheese and add my favorite homemade topper of any kind: pickled red onions. Dan and I eat these on EVERYTHING. Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, cheese and crackers, and even pizza from time to time. They are sooo good. Spicy, sweet, and vinegary without the bite of raw onions. They are totally addicting. Dan, a former onion hater, is even more obsessed with them than I am. He eats them straight out of the jar. He forgoes his right to smooch me for a few hours afterward, but he thinks it’s worth it (not sure how I feel about that…).

I tend to keep my burger patties pretty simple most of the time. That way, I can really have a lot of fun with the toppings. So can you. Add on some crispy bacon. Swoon. Slap on some lettuce and sliced tomato. Always a good choice. Swap out the cheese to something more mild, if goat cheese ain’t your thang…just don’t tell me about it.

You can put just about anything on a burger. This recipe proves it. So, even if this sounds strange to you….give it a shot.

It is lip-smacking, napkin-destroying juicy goodness!

Burgers with Blueberry BBQ Sauce, Goat Cheese, & Spicy Pickled Red Onions

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• Author: Molly
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Pickled Onions:

• 1 cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 2 red onions, sliced thinly
• 1 jalapeño, sliced

For the Blueberry BBQ Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (seeded if you don’t like things too spicy)
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup mustard
• ¼ cup diced tomatoes (canned works)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• Salt and pepper

For the Burgers:

• Burger buns
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper
• 6 oz goat cheese, softened
• Baby arugula

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Instructions

For the Onions:

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Arrange the onions and pepper rings in a large, heat-proof container with a tight-fitting lid and pour the pickling liquid over top.
3. Cool, cover, and store chilled for a minimum of 4-6 hours. The longer they sit in the fridge, the better they get.

For the BBQ Sauce:

1. Sauté the onions and peppers in the oil until soft.
2. Add all the other ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the blueberries are very soft.
4. Puree using a blender or food processor until completely smooth.

For the Burgers:

1. Combine the beef, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Form into patties and grill or pan-griddle for 4 minutes per side.
3. Slather the buns with the softened goat cheese, top with a burger, then the BBQ sauce, and finally the pickled onions and arugula. Serve immediately.