josh’s favorite double cheeseburger

prep: 25 MINUTES | cook: 10 MINUTES | total: 35 MINUTES | makes 8 BURGERS

Josh is serious about good burgers, and there’s barely a summer weekend that goes by that doesn’t find him out at the grill, serving ’em up to any neighbor, friend, or relative who’s stopped by. According to Josh, the keys to a killer burger are: thin doubled-up patties that are a flavorful combo of beef and Italian sausage; cheddar and Havarti cheese (cheddar for the classic sharp flavor, Havarti for its amazing meltiness); bacon (a must for Josh!); a creamy smoked paprika aioli; perfectly caramelized grilled onions; and buttery grilled buns. Hungry yet?

AIOLI

1 cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon kosher salt

BURGERS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 hamburger buns (I love brioche.)

1 pound (80 percent lean) ground beef

1 pound mild Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

8 slices cheddar cheese

8 slices Havarti cheese

Lettuce

Tomato slices

16 slices bacon, cooked

1 Make the aioli: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, smoked paprika, and salt. Set aside.

2 Make the burgers: Generously butter the insides of the hamburger buns and set aside.

3 In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage meat, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Form the meat into 16 patties, about 4½ inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. You want the patties to be thin because each burger will get two. Separate each patty with a piece of wax paper so they don’t stick together and can easily be transferred to the grill.

4 Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

5 Brush the onion rounds with the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

6 Place the patties and onion rounds directly on the hot grill. Cook the onions for 3 minutes on each side, until they are softened and have nice char lines. Cook the patties for 2 to 3 minutes and flip with a spatula. Place a slice of cheese on top of each patty so half of the patties are topped with cheddar and half with Havarti. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, until the patties are no longer pink on the outside and the cheese has melted.

7 Transfer the onion slices and burgers to a serving platter or large baking sheet. Cover with foil to keep warm.

8 Place the buttered hamburger buns cut side down on the grill and grill until toasted, 30 to 60 seconds.

9 To assemble the burgers, spread the aioli on the insides of the toasted buns. Top the bottoms with two patties, one cheddar and one Havarti. Add the grilled onions, lettuce, tomato slices, and bacon and then top with the bun tops. Serve immediately.