If grilled burgers are the regular norm, then grilled Stuffed Burgers is the haute cuisine of grilling burger meat.  This is special dish. The stuffing is Portobello mushrooms along with cheese of your choice (we prefer either blue cheese or mozzarella). Add some great herbs, and you have a masterpiece. You’ll never go back to old-style burgers on the grill.

STUFFED BURGERS

2 Portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced shallots
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
2 pound ground beef, pork or turkey
6 ounces blue cheese or mozzarella
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives or 1 teaspoon dried
4 burger buns (we prefer potato buns)

Ingredients:

1. Rinse mushrooms under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut mushrooms into small cubes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet or saucepan an over medium heat. Add mushrooms and pinch of salt, and sauté for 4 minutes. The  water will start to come out of the mushrooms. Continue to cook until most of the moisture is gone (approximately 8 to 10 minutes). Add shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Separate the ground meat  into eight 4-ounce patties (each will be half of a finished burger).  Make a dent in the center of each patty with your thumb.  In a bowl , mix well the cooked mushrooms, cheese, oregano and chives. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the dent of the 4 patties.  Cover each with the other 4 patties, and then use your fingers to pinch and seal the two patties together.
4. Season the finished patties with salt and pepper, and place on a hot grill, cooking each side until done. Normally, it’s  cooking the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey.  Flip over, and cook on the other side. Note that you can sear the buns along with burgers on each side as well. Be careful not to burn the buns. Place burger on a bun and finish with red leaf lettuce, tomato and any other condiment of your choice.
Yield: 4 servings.