The Ultimate Korean Burger

1. For the gochujang mayo: Whisk together the mayonnaise, gochujang, lemon juice, mirin, salt and garlic in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. You’ll have about 1 cup.
2. For the burgers: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the meat into 6 even portions and pat into disks that are slightly wider than the burger buns (the patties will shrink as they cook). Season the tops with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, then refrigerate the pan until you’re ready to cook the burgers.
3. Spread the mayonnaise on the top and bottom burger buns, about 1 teaspoon per bun. Toast in a large skillet over medium heat in batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. To grill the burgers: Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat or build a fire in a charcoal grill. When the grates are hot, clean them with a grill brush, then oil the grates with a layer of oiled paper towels (or an oiled kitchen rag you use for cleaning the grill). Grill the burgers over medium-high heat until seared on the bottoms, then flip over, drape a slice of cheese on each patty and continue to grill until they reach your desired doneness level. As a rule of thumb, 6 minutes total will make a medium burger (145 degrees F internal temperature), so go longer for well-done and grill for less time for medium-rare. Use an instant-read thermometer to track your progress.
5. To cook the burgers on the stove: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. In 2 to 3 batches (depending on your skillet), add the burger patties and smash them down with a metal spatula. Cook until they develop a very crispy crust on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and smash down again, then drape a slice of cheese on each patty. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Since they’re thinner, stovetop burgers usually cook faster than grilled burgers.
6. For serving: Smear a spoonful of the gochujang mayo on the top and bottom buns. Top the bottom bun with a patty, then spoon the Kimchi Bacon Jam on top. Add lettuce and tomato if desired, cover with the top bun and serve immediately. Leftover gochujang mayo keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Kimchi Bacon Jam:

1. I have this on the table any time I have a barbecue. It’s designed for burgers, but it’s so good that people also put it on their hot dogs and grilled cheese. I’m not always a baked bean person, but this is amazing with baked beans, too. In fact, and I’m not kidding, the jam is so good you may find yourself making it even if you’re not grilling anything.
2. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the lined plate.
3. In the same skillet, stir in the onions and salt. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the onions in the bacon fat, stirring often, until soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes, lowering the heat and adding a splash of water now and then to keep the onions from sticking and to encourage them to get even more jammy.
4. Stir in the kimchi and cook until the edges begin to turn golden, 3 to 4 more minutes. Return the bacon to the skillet and stir in the honey and tomato paste. The jam will look loose, but it will firm up as it cools. Transfer the jam to a bowl or quart mason jar and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until needed.