A recreation of the famous Scolari's Good Eats blueberry burger — peppercorn-crusted patty, bacon, blue cheese, red onion, and basil aioli on a challah bun — with a blueberry hot sauce jam standing in for the sweet-and-spicy kick.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs ground beef (80/20 chuck, or chuck-brisket blend)
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 thick-cut bacon slices
- 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 3 tbsp Blueberry Jerry hot sauce
- 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance)
- 4 challah burger buns
- 1 tbsp butter, for toasting
Instructions
- Make the basil aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, basil, garlic, and lemon juice with a pinch of salt in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and flecked green. Refrigerate until assembly.
- Make the blueberry hot sauce jam: In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the blueberries with the sugar until the berries burst and the mixture thickens slightly. Off the heat, stir in the Blueberry Jerry hot sauce. Taste and add more if you want more heat. Set aside to cool and thicken.
- Crisp the bacon: Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain on paper towels — leave a little fat in the pan for the patties.
- Form and crust the patties: Divide the beef into 4 loose patties, about 6 oz each, slightly wider than your buns. Season both sides with the salt, then press the cracked peppercorns firmly into both sides to form a crust.
- Sear and melt the cheese: Sear the patties over medium-high, about 3–4 minutes per side for medium. In the last minute, top each with blue cheese and cover briefly so it melts.
- Toast the buns: Wipe the pan, melt the butter, and toast the cut sides of the challah buns until golden.
- Assemble: Spread basil aioli on both bun halves. On the bottom: patty with melted blue cheese, then bacon, then a generous spoon of blueberry hot sauce jam, then red onion. Crown with the top bun and serve right away.
Tips
The original uses Niman Ranch beef and a basil aioli on a challah bun — worth seeking out that beef and good seeded challah buns if you can. For a closer match to the truck's "Au Poivre" version, be generous with the cracked peppercorn crust. The blueberry jam should be loose enough to spoon but thick enough not to run — if it's too thin, simmer a minute longer before adding the hot sauce. Adjust the hot sauce to your heat tolerance; 3 tbsp gives a noticeable but balanced kick against the sweet berries and rich blue cheese.