"Buffalo" Blue Cheese Burgers with Grilled Sweet Potato and Sea Salt Fries

     I will start off by explaining the quotes.  The Buffalo in this burger does not describe the meat, it describes the sauce I used to flavor it.  This recipe produces a slightly spicy and tangy burger that you will love!  The sweet potato fries are balanced with the application of sea salt and the charring they receive from the grill really adds another level of flavor to them.  Here is what you will need to make the burgers.

1 Lb. of Grass Fed Ground Chuck (Springfield Butcher!)
3 Tbsp. of Buffalo Sauce
1/4 - 1/2 C of Crumbled Blue Cheese
1/2 C of Plain Breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. of Onion Powder

     In a bowl, mix all of the above ingredients.  You need the breadcrumbs to take up some of the moisture you introduced by mixing the meat with the buffalo sauce.  This will allow you to make patties that stay together on the grill and cook evenly.  Without them, your patties will crumble on the grill.  Cook them on the grill at 400 - 425 degrees for about 3-5 minutes on each side.  Be sure that you only flip them once and under no circumstances do you ever press them!  You want all of that flavor to stay in the burger!

     To "dress" my burger, I made a buffalo ketchup to go on the burger.  This sauce really brought out the buffalo flavor and added a delicious tang to the flavor profile.  To make the sauce, simply use a 3:1 ratio of ketchup to buffalo sauce.  Simple, yet delicious!

     The fries are not your typical french fry.  They get a nice crisp to the outside layer but retain their softness on the inside.  Do not think deep fried when you are making these instead, bask in the glory of sweet and salty flavors adorned with just a touch of "char" to really bring the flavors together!  Here is what you will need.

2 Medium - Large Sweet Potatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt

     Start by peeling and cutting the potatoes into 1/4" thick pieces then boil them until they are just about fork tender.  (Important note.  The pieces need to be large enough so you can easily manage them on the grill.)  If you boil them until fork tender, they will fall apart and you will not be able to grill them.  (Think as if you were making pasta and cooking it al dente.)  When they are done, drain the water from the potatoes and place them on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle them with sea salt as you see fit.  Flip them over and repeat the process.  When you are done adding the olive oil and sea salt you can move to the grill and finish cooking them.  Grill them at 400 - 425 degrees for about 5-10 minutes or until you are comfortable with their grill marks. 

     When you are done cooking, this is what you will have.

 
     I cannot explain to you how well the buffalo flavor goes with the blue cheese.  The buffalo ketchup really elevates the flavors to another level!  The sweet potato and sea salt combination is a sweet and salty lovers paradise!  I know you will love this and I will be bringing more burger recipes to the blog as the weather gets better!  Enjoy!

- Chris