Elevate your grilling game this summer, with this decadent Brie Burger with Bourbon Poached Pears and Pancetta. This gourmet burger has the perfect combination of savory and sweet flavors, and the added creamy richness of brie cheese. This ultimate burger is sure to impress your family and friends.
Brie Burger with Poached Pears Recipe at a Glance
What Do You Need to Know About This Ultimate Gourmet Brie Burger?
This is not your average burger! This upscale restaurant style burger takes a bit of time to make mostly because of the time you need for poaching pears. The result is totally worth it – a match made in heaven, or at least a very upscale diner.
How Does Brie Burgers with Poached Pears Taste Like?
Each bite combines the creamy, slightly earthy taste of brie cheese with the hearty, robust flavor of a perfectly grilled beef patty, the sweet flavor of tender boozy bourbon poached pears and the perfect crispy texture of pancetta. Topped with arugula, this brie burger combines savory, sweet, creamy, rich, crispy and umami all in one bite. In other words, this burger is PURE PERFECTION!
Make A Vegetarian Brie Burger
Using a plant-base burger patty like impossible burgers or beyond burgers, allows you to transform these culinary gems into a vegetarian meal sure to blow anyone’s mind. You can use plant-based bacon instead of pancetta although these brie burgers are so packed with flavor that you may just skip the pancetta all together.
Here are a few key things about making the perfect burger:
- When possible grind your own meat! This is the only way to have total control of what goes in and how coarsely the grind is. Ultimate flavor and quality is in your hands (or in your butcher’s hands if you ask him/her to do it for you).
- If you buy already ground-packaged beef, select one that has at least 20% fat. It will be labeled 80/20. Fat equals flavor and moisture and will produce juicy burgers. Extra lean meats produce dense and dry burgers.
- Do not overwork the meat. Handle it minimally. It doesn’t need to be massaged! Don’t compress the meat patties. The handling of the meat affects the texture. Too much handling produces tough and dry pucks.
- When forming your burgers, make a shallow indentation in the middle to prevent bulging. This simple step helps produce perfectly evenly flat burgers.
- Season your meat when you are ready to cook your burgers and not a second sooner!
- Use high heat to cook your burgers. If using a saute pan, cast iron is your best option.
Burger Recipe Tips
- Not all pancetta is created equal! Some brands are saltier than others.
- Toast your bun! It makes a big difference!
- If you can’t find pancetta you can use bacon instead. Here’s my mess-free, easy, always crispy, recipe for How To Perfectly Cook Bacon in the Oven
Brie, Crispy Pancetta and Gingered-Bourbon Poached Pear Burger
This Brie, Crispy Pancetta and Gingered-Bourbon Poached Pear Burger has the right combination of flavors. Juicy and tender beef, crispy pancetta, creamy Brie cheese and sweet and boozy gingered-bourbon poached pears. Topped with fresh arugula and served on a toasty Brioche bun. This is definitely not your regular cheeseburger!
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 2 pounds ground beef I used ground chuck 80% lean-20% fat
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Oil for brushing the burgers
For the Poached Pears
- 24 ounces ginger ale
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 pears,peeled, cored and cut in half lengthwise
- ½ pound pancetta, cooked until desire crispiness
- 8 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 6 burger buns, split and toasted (I used Brioche burger buns)
- Condiments as desired
Instructions
Make the Poached Pears
- In a small saucepan combine the ginger ale, bourbon and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Add the pears and simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until the pears are tender.
- You can let the pears cool in the simmering liquid or if press for time, remove the pears immediately. Cut the pears into thin slices. Reserve.
Make and Cook the Burgers:
- In a large bowl combine the ground beef, season salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper and Dijon mustard. Gently mix to combine taking care not to compress the ingredients.
- Divide the meat into 6 even portions (6 – ounces each) and form into pucks. Do not overwork the meat.
- With your fingers make a shallow indentation on the center of each patty, this will prevent the burger from bulging while cooking.
If using a Grill:
- Build a charcoal fire until the coals glow bright orange and ash over or heat a gas grill to high. Brush the burgers with oil. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and lightly charred on the first side. With a spatula flip over the burgers and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare. Cook longer for well done.
- Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking and cover the grill to melt the cheese.
If using a Grill Pan:
- Heat a grill pan over high heat. Cook the burgers as directed above. Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking and cover the grill pan with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.
If using a Sautee Pan or Griddle:
- Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and lightly charred on the first side. With a spatula flip over the burgers and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare. Cook longer for well done.
- Top the burgers with cheese on the last minute of cooking. Tent some aluminum foil over the top to melt the cheese.
Assemble:
- Lightly toast the burger buns. Top with the burger and cheese. Top with crispy pancetta, sliced poached pears and a small handful of fresh arugula. Serve!
- If you don’t want your cheese melted do not add it to the burger patties the last minute of cooking time. Just top the burgers with the cheese when assembling.
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram @lemonblossomsblog and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below!
Recipe Notes
Even though you will not be using the poaching liquid for this recipe, you can bring the poaching liquid to a boil and reduce it by half. Serve the syrup over fruit or ice-cream if desire.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Brie, Crispy Pancetta and Gingered-Bourbon Poached Pear Burger
Amount Per Serving
Calories 896
Calories from Fat 513
% Daily Value*
Fat 57g88%
Saturated Fat 23g144%
Cholesterol 170mg57%
Sodium 1232mg54%
Potassium 715mg20%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 43g86%
Vitamin A 410IU8%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 203mg20%
Iron 5.4mg30%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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