Name: Texas luau burger Recipe
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 pound ground chuck; 4 Kings Sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns, or regular hamburger buns; Teriyaki barbecue sauce (1 cup teriyaki sauce mixed with 1 cup barbecue sauce); 8 slices thick hickory-smoked bacon; 4 slices pineapple; 4 jalapeno peppers, halved, stemmed and seeded; 4 slices goat cheddar cheese, or other cheddar cheese; Manoa or butter lettuce, for garnish (optional); Maui or Vidalia onion slices, for garnish (optional)

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By Noelle Carter

June 29, 2013

To any real fan, a hamburger is never “just a burger.” A great burger is a work of art, passionately thought out and painstakingly executed. It’s the very extension of the grill master’s identity.

So with the smells of charcoal and grilled meat beginning to perfume backyards across the country, we challenged L.A. Times burgermeisters everywhere to submit their recipes in our third annual Battle of the Burgers. The response was amazing. We received submissions from all over the country (and even the world), for creations combining common and unusual ingredients, many drawing from local flavors and regional cuisine. Every recipe was at once unique and uniquely American.

Thousands of votes were tallied to narrow the choices to the top 20 burgers. The best recipes were then put to task in the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen. The burgers were judged by Food section editors and staff. It was tough, but after days of testing, exhaustive judging (and maybe a little post-burger napping), we came up with five favorites.

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1 pound ground chuck

4 Kings Sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns, or regular hamburger buns

Teriyaki barbecue sauce (1 cup teriyaki sauce mixed with 1 cup barbecue sauce)

8 slices thick hickory-smoked bacon

4 slices pineapple

4 jalapeno peppers, halved, stemmed and seeded

4 slices goat cheddar cheese, or other cheddar cheese

Manoa or butter lettuce, for garnish (optional)

Maui or Vidalia onion slices, for garnish (optional)

Heat the grill. Gently form ground chuck into 4 (three-quarters-inch-thick) burger patties; each patty should be about 4 inches in diameter. Chill the burgers on a wax paper-lined plate, covered, until ready to grill.

Grill the buns, cut side-down, until grill marks appear, 30 seconds to a minute. Brush the cut side of the buns with teriyaki barbecue sauce and remove from grill.

Place the patties, bacon, pineapple slices and jalapenos on the grill, brushing them with teriyaki barbecue sauce. When each is done on one side (timing will vary depending on the item; the burgers will be ready after about 5 minutes), flip over and continue cooking, brushing the other side with teriyaki barbecue sauce.

Place a slice of grilled pineapple on top of each patty, while still on the grill. Top each pineapple slice with two slices of jalapeno pepper. Brush with additional teriyaki barbecue sauce. Place a slice of goat cheddar cheese on each patty. Close the grill and continue to cook just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve the burgers in the toasted buns, topped with two slices of crisp bacon, garnishing if desired with lettuce and onion and with additional teriyaki barbecue sauce on the side.