Ultimate Sriracha Burger

I have a problem, I adore sriracha!  I want to put it on everything.  I know I am not alone in this, but it is still something I feel a bit guilty over:).  So, when I saw there was a Sriracha cookbook, I wanted it!  I haven't gotten it yet, but his recipe was available as a preview on amazon.  When I saw this burger, I knew I would have to make it and soon.  Problem.  My husband does not share this love.  He is more of a Crystal man.  Not being a fan of Sriracha, he was less than excited to try this burger.  (oh he doesn't like blue cheese either!)  I, however, kind of forced the issue and chose to make this tonight.  I halved the recipe, but at 5 tbsp, I was worried that it would be a little too spicy for even me.  Was it?  No!  My husband, who wasn't expecting to like this much, ate more than 2 burgers!  He felt ill afterward, but said it was worth it.  I really enjoyed it too.  Not as enthusiastically as my husband, but I had much higher expectations, and as a woman, would never eat 2 burgers;).  He said it was now the best burger we have ever made!  I, being cowardly, just threw it in to the top ten.



Ultimate Sriracha Burger
 
3 Lb ground beef (preferably chuck 80/20)
1/4 Cup soy sauce
10 Tbl Sriracha
4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 Slice thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 Cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 5
tablespoons of the Sriracha, and the pepper. Do not overmix. Form the
mixture into 8 patties, and set aside, on a parchment-lined baking sheet,
covered, in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat.
3. In a medium frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the bacon, turning
as necessary. While the bacon is cooking, peel and quarter the onions.
Cut each section into 1/4-inch slices. Once the bacon is cooked through
and slightly crispy, remove the slices from the pan, cut each in half
crosswise, and drain onto paper towels, reserving the remaining bacon
fat in the pan. Cook the sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low
heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Grill the burgers, turning once, 4 to 4 1/2 minutes on each side or
until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135F for medium-rare. While
the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the blue cheese
dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha. Lightly toast the
buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.
5. To assemble, spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each
hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, Swiss cheese slice, bacon,
caramelized onions, tomato slice, and a small handful of arugula between
each hamburger bun.