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1
Preheat a gas grill to high or ignite the charcoal.
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2
When the grill is hot, clean your grill rack.
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3
Decrease the temperature to medium-high (for a gas grill only) and brush or wipe a little oil on the grill rack.
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4
Divide the ground beef into two equal portions.
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5
Line a 9-inch-round cake tin with plastic wrap.
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6
Gently push half the beef into the tin.
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7
Don't press too hard.
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8
Place another sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface and invert the tin so the shaped beef patty pops out onto the plastic wrap.
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9
Line the cake tin with plastic wrap again.
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10
Gently push the remaining half the beef into the tin and keep it in the tin for the moment.
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11
Sprinkle the top of each patty with the salt and pepper.
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12
Spoon the cheese onto the patty still in the tin.
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13
Spread the cheese to cover the meat, but leave about 1/2-inch margin uncovered around the edge.
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14
Use the plastic wrap-lining to remove the patty from the tin and flip it onto the non-cheese patty.
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15
You want the seasoned sides of the meat facing together, with the cheese sandwiched between.
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16
Lightly press the 2 patties together all around the edge.
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17
Sprinkle the top of the burger with salt and pepper.
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18
Wipe a pizza peel with a little oil and transfer the burger to the grill using the peel.
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19
Close the grill lid and cook until the bottom of the patty shows grill marks, 8 to 9 minutes.
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20
Spritz a little nonstick spray on top of the burger, then flip and cook, 8 to 9 minutes.
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21
Gently transfer the cooked burger to a large platter and let rest, about 15 minutes.
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22
Halve the bread straight across horizontally so it forms a bun.
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23
If you like, you can toast both halves lightly on the grill.
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24
Transfer the burger onto the bottom half of the bread.
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25
Spoon on the Grilled Bing Cherry-White Balsamic Sauce and close the burger with the top half of the bread.
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26
Slice the burger into 6 wedges, as if you were cutting a pizza, and serve.
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27
Cook's Note: A great burger begins with the meat.
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28
You'll never get a great burger from meat in a tube.
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29
Good burgers come from freshly ground steaks with a good percentage of fat.
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30
There's no such thing as a great super-lean burger.
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31
As a rule of thumb, choose beef with 20 to 25 percent fat content for your burgers.
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32
A fresh grind is just as important.
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33
Choose chuck steaks from your butchers and ask them to grind the meat while you wait, the same day you plan to cook them if possible.
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34
Even your local supermarket butcher will be happy to do this for you.
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35
Summer fruit, when given a quick turn on the grill, gets a smoky, sultry tang that works well with goat cheese on a burger.
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36
This also works well as a topping for a turkey burger, chicken breast or a grilled pork chop or pork loin.
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37
Dark red Bing cherries are beautiful in this sauce but you can also use a combination of cherries with apricots, peaches or any stone fruit.
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38
I like to grill cherries and then pit them; you lose less juice that way.
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39
For stone fruit, cut the fruit in half, remove the pit, give the fruit a light rub of olive oil on both sides and then grill, about 2 minutes each side.
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40
Preheat a gas grill or charcoal grill to medium-hot heat.
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41
A charcoal grill will glow red under gray ash when at this temperature.
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42
(Alternatively, grill the cherries in a hot grill pan over high heat on the stove.)
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43
Pour the cherries into a fine-mesh grill basket or all-metal strainer, and place the basket over the grill.
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44
Cook until bright and smoky, but not charred, about 4 minutes.
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45
Give the basket a good shake every 20 to 30 seconds, so the cherries heat through.
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46
After 3 minutes, taste a cherry to see if it's smoky enough.
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47
Take the basket off the heat and let the cherries cool, about 5 minutes.
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48
Halve the cherries over a bowl, reserving all the cherry juice you can.
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49
Discard the pits.
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50
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or skillet, either on the grill or the stove.
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51
When the butter is foaming, add the shallots and stir.
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52
Cook the shallots until they begin to show some color, about 2 minutes.
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53
Stir in the vinegar and brown sugar.
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54
Add the cherries to the saucepan with any reserved juice.
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55
Cook until just slightly syrupy, about 3 minutes.
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56
Add the salt and pepper, taste, and add more seasoning if you like.
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57
This can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3 to 4 days.
