We’ve got more Milagro Mole goodness from our friends at Big Acres® Gourmet Foods.  Tonight, why not try

Milagro Mole Hamburgers

Getting bored with your regular hamburger?  Looking for a new twist to bring that excitement back to the same old same old?  I was once like you friend and then I found Big Acres Milagro Mole!!  Now look at me!! (Sorry, I always wanted to write a script for infomercials…)

Actually, this particular burger masterpiece arose out of a simple desire: to extend my last bottle of Milagro Mole that Melanie (that’s @melanieyunk on Twitter)  sent me as long as I possibly could.  See, when I made mole beef, I used the entire bottle for one dish.  Granted, it was an amazing beef dish that made a lot of friends and coworkers very happy, but still the bottle was gone long before I was ready for it to be.

It’s hard to explain exactly what the Milagro Mole tastes like.  It tastes a little like the dried chilies that form so many Mexican sauces (think Enchilada sauce),  but then it dresses those chilis up in their Sunday best with the flavors of cinnamon, raisins, and a drop of sugary sweetness.  Don’t get me wrong, the sweet is not overpowering, but it’s definitely there and it makes the Milagro Mole incredibly complex.

Anyway, since I knew I wanted to keep the bottle going as long as I could, I kept waiting and waiting for the perfect use.  Something that would taste great, but would let me keep some of the sauce around for next time.  Then one night my wife decided she wanted burgers.  In a rush of inspiration, I brushed a good two tablespoons of the sauce on the burgers and let it form a nice crust as the burgers cooked.  After all was said and done, the sauciness was gone, but the heat had concentrated the sweetness of the Milagro Mole, accentuating the raisins and cinnamon and giving it a different, though definitely pleasant taste.

The earthy saltiness of the beef mixed with the sweet aftertaste from the Milagro Mole was surprisingly harmonious and was so good I forsook the normal ketchup bath and pickle treatment I subject most burgers to.  If you like burgers, even just a little, I highly suggest you give these a try.  They would be perfect sliders for an outdoor finger food party or dinner.

Making Milagro Mole Burgers

You know, before we get into the burgers, it occurs to me that I didn’t put cheese on my burger.  I usually prefer my burgers cheeseless, but if you like a nice cheesy bite, go with a mild cheese like a mozzarella, gruyere, provolone, or a really mild Swiss.  Really mild.  The thing is certain components of the mole’s flavor is subtle and a strong cheddar could pretty easily overpower it.

You will need:

• 2 pounds 80% ground chuck
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup Milagro Mole
• 8 ounces mild cheese (optional)
• 4 buns

Turn the ground beef into 4 1/2 pound patties, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let sit for a few minutes to make sure the burgers are at room temperature.  Right before cooking, spread a heaping spoonful of Milagro Mole over the burgers.

Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water flicked on the skillet dances and evaporates.  Cook the burger 4 minutes and then flip.

Immediately after flipping, spread a heaping spoonful of mole over the top of the burger.   Cook the burger another 3 minutes.  Add the cheese, cover and cook until the cheese melts.

Serve on the buns with nothing else.  Take at least one bite of the Milagro Mole goodness before adding ketchup, mayo, or mustard to the burger.  Just see if you need anything else.  Enjoy!