When Nuburger owner Marc Priestley was a kid he loved blueberry picking with his family at their cabin in Victoria Beach, Manitoba. His Grandma would make blueberry pie and it was his favourite! Her recipe was the inspiration for Nuburger’s homemade blueberry barbecue sauce and the Blueberry Yum Yum burger was born.
Ingredients
ANGUS BURGER PATTY:
1 ½ pounds Angus lean ground beef
Pinch of ground pepper
Pinch of salt
1 ½ Tbsps. Canola oil
BLUEBERRY BBQ SAUCE:
2 cups water
3 cups red onion, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup blueberries
1 ½ bay leaves
¾ tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. black pepper
2 ½ tsp. salt
½ cup cornstarch
BALSAMIC ONIONS:
1 large red onion, sliced
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Pinch of ground pepper
Pinch of sea salt
HERB MAYO:
2 tsp. tarragon, finely ground
Pinch of ground pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup light mayo
1 Tbsp. grainy Dijon
Mustard
Method
1. Divide beef into six portions and shape loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger. Make a deep depression in the centre with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper. Heat grill to high. Brush burgers with oil. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown and slightly charred on the second side, 4 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to desired degree of doneness.
2. For the sauce, sauté onions in a pot. Add in tomato paste, bay leaves, liquid smoke, pepper and salt, and half of the blueberries. Simmer over low heat until reduced to a salsa-like consistency. Remove bay leaves. Combine corn starch and water to make a slurry. Add to pot in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Simmer over low heat, about 10 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Let sauce cool, then blend in food processor. Mix in remaining berries.
3. For the onions, in a pot, sweat the onions in a small amount of water. Mix vinegar, pepper and salt to make a brine. Add enough brine to cover onions. Simmer over low heat 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.
4. For the mayo, mix all ingredients and refrigerate until use.
5. To assemble, place the burger on a ciabatta bun and top with blueberry barbecue sauce, balsamic onions, slice of tomato, goat cheese, leafy greens and finish off with mayo.
Nuburger is located at The Forks in Winnipeg.