This dauntingly delicious recipe is actually very simple. It calls for a few extra minutes of prep work but it's well worth it! (Yields four burgers)

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
1/2 cup Cackalacky Spice Sauce
12 slices Apple or Hickory smoked bacon
8 thin slices Maytag blue cheese
1 Vidalia, Walla Walla or Maui onion, sliced
1 cup diced red onion
4 slices ripe tomato
4 leaves crisp iceberg lettuce
Course kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 Kaiser or potato buns
Butter-flavored Pam or similar pan coating
Mayonnaise (optional)

Prep Directions For Burger Toppings:
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Using the same pan, sauté the sliced onion in bacon grease until golden brown and caramelized. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Spray bun tops and bottoms with spray butter.

Burger Directions:
Using your hands, mix 1/2 cup Cackalacky Spice Sauce with the ground chuck and gently shape into four burgers of equal size and thickness (about 3/4-inch thick). Lightly season both sides of the burgers with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder.

Prepare the grill for medium-high direct cooking. Cook the burgers, covered, for approximately four to five minutes. Flip and continue cooking, covered, for another four to five minutes or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. for medium. During the last minute or two of grilling time, top each burger with two slices of blue cheese and allow the cheese to melt slightly. During the last minute of cooking, grill the buns until lightly toasted.

Slather the top and bottom cut surfaces of the buns with mayonnaise, if desired, and assemble each burger. Place a lettuce leaf and sliced tomato on the bottom bun and place the burger – blue cheese-side-up – atop the tomato. Top each burger with 1/4 cup of the minced red onion, three slices of bacon, caramelized onions and a healthy dollop of Cackalacky Spice Sauce. Cover with the top bun and serve piping hot!