Ingredients

Tom Wickham, Portland, OR

Slaw:
1/4 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, leavesfinely chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Chile Rojo:
1 dried ancho chile and 1 dried pasilla chile, seeded, stemmed, and soaked in warm water for at
least 30 minutes, or 4 tablespoons good-quality ground chile powder
1/2 to 1 minced fresh jalapeno chile pepper

1/4 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup hearty red wine (like Zinfindel or Cabernet Sauvignon), plus more if needed

Burger Patties:
2 pounds freshly ground beef (*see cook's note below)
6 tablespoons Chili Rojo, recipe follows
Salt and pepper

Avocado Crema:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 jalapeno chile pepper, finely minced, optional
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1 lime, zested

1 lime, juiced
1 large ripe tomato or 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Salt and pepper

To assemble:
6 (1-ounce) slices sharp Cheddar
6 good-quality soft hamburger buns
1/3 cup of remaining Chili Rojo, recipe follows, mixed with 1/2 cup ketchup

Instructions

To make the slaw: mix all the slaw ingredients together. Set aside for at
least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.

Prepare charcoal grill for medium-hot direct-heat cooking.

To make the Chile Rojo: add all chili ingredients, except extra wine, to a blender or food processor. Puree
thoroughly, using extra wine if necessary to make a thick, smooth sauce.

To make the burger patties: take 6 tablespoons ground beef and mix with 6 tablespoons Chile Rojo. Make 6 equal
hand-formed patties with the remaining ground beef. Place 2 tablespoons of the chile mixture onto the center
of each patty. Carefully enclose each patty around the chile mixture to form a ball. Carefully flatten each

ball back into a thick patty, keeping the chile mixture inside. Season the patties liberally with salt and
pepper.

To make the Crema: mash the avocados in a food processor or with a potato masher. Add the rest of the
ingredients and fold gently until thoroughly mixed.

When the grill is hot, oil the grill rack and cook the burgers over a medium-high flame until done, about 3
minutes per side for medium rare. If the exterior of the patties begins to burn, move them to a cooler side of
the grill until the centers have had a chance to cook. Add a slice of cheese to each patty about 1 minute
before they are done. Let patties rest off the heat for 1 or 2 minutes after cooking, and meanwhile toast the
buns on a cooler side of the grill.

To assemble the burgers: spread each bun bottom with a layer of Avocado Crema. Add about 1/3 cup slaw, a patty
with melted cheese, then a tablespoon of chili ketchup, and finally the bun top.

Cook's Note: I like the "whole cow" approach to ground beef and use 2 parts chuck to 1 part rib meat to 1 part
sirloin or round. This gives the mixture a variety of texture and beefy flavor. If you are limited in choices,
chuck is by far the best meat for grinding and for burgers.

A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not
tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.