Time for a confession.
Before I met the Babyface, I had no idea that the vast majority of the thick, sticky brown stuff we American’s pour on pancakes isn’t actually maple syrup. How was I supposed to know that Aunt Jemima was actually just a crazy blend of different corn syrups that were flavored to sorta taste like maple?
You wanna know how to get a quick education on maple syrup? Marry a Canadian.
Let me tell you! The first Christmas we were together, my mother-in-law shipped us down a can of genuine, 100%, pure, Canadian maple syrup. We cracked that sucker open and poured in on pancakes and it was like maple-y, sugar-y heaven. As one does, I flipped over the can to check out the ingredients and lo-and-behold what do I see? Ingredients: maple syrup. Say wha??? You’re telling me maple syrup is its own thing? And tastes like this awesomeness?
I never looked back.
This burger is hands-down Babyface’s favorite burger on Earth. The first time I made it (on Canada Day, appropriately), he turned to me with a full mouth and said, “Ohmm mahh godws. Thifss esss thaa bassst buurrgaar I’vf evaar haaad enn tha hisstoree uf mahh liffeee.” And then he swallowed and smothered me in maple-y bacon kisses.
I’ll take that compliment.
Maple Bacon Burgers with Sweet Dijon Sauce
Modified from Sandra Lee
Makes four burgers
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons *real* maple syrup
- 1/4 cup mayo
For the burgers
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup no sugar added/unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2-1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked
- 4 hamburger buns
- Hamburger fixin’s
Directions
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside in fridge.
- Preheat grill.
- Combine beef, applesauce, seasoning, salt and pepper and bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add more breadcrumbs if necessary to solidify mixture.
- Form into four patties. Grill to desired doneness.
- Place patties on buns with fixings, top with bacon and a large dollop of the sweet dijon sauce.
Oh, I would love to make these! Only… I do not think my local British supermarket stocks Montreal steak seasoning. Although you say it’s optional, I thought I’d hazard and ask if you know its constituents in greater detail? (By the way, you really know how to market your recipes; having read this post I felt I just *have* to make these!!!)
I think it is a mix of black pepper, salt, garlic and paprika. I’d try adding those in and see if it works! Honestly, I just add it for the black pepper and garlic, mostly. 🙂
The website list the ingredients as:
COARSE SALT, SPICES (INCLUDING BLACK PEPPER, AND RED PEPPER), GARLIC, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR, AND EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA
Maybe you can make your own blend of spices?
Thank you both! Have a lovely weekend! xx
Montreal Steak Seasoning is made by McCormick. You can find it in U.S. grocery stores or online. (Ebay, Amazon etc.)
Where do I get my own Canadian mother-in-law???
I discovered the joys of real maple syrup about 2 months ago. But at the supermarket I had to wipe the dust off the bottles before I could read the labels. And then there’s the whole issue of not knowing if I’m supposed to get grade A or B. And where do I buy a jug…or even a keg coz these little bottles they sell at the store are not cutting it!
Hey Cassie!! where can one get this if she doesn’t have a Canadian mother-inlaw? Do you know of any websites offhand where I could order it!? Looks delish!!!
No need to order it! I just buy my maple syrup at the regular American grocery store. It is with all the rest of the breakfast syrups, you just have to look a little find *real* maple syrup. And it’s quite a bit more expensive. 😀
I like the use of the maple syrup in hte mayo in these burgers!
It is an awesome addition! I figure it’d be yum on salmon too. 🙂
I just tried them yesterday evening and it was delicious! I was a bit worried about the applesauce (first time I’ve seen a recipe of burgers with it but here in France we are definitely no burgers’ specialists) and I was really impressed : they were so tender!!
Thank you Cass!