Today’s recipe, Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam, is less about the burger patty and more about its tasty partners. The fig onion jam and sharp cheddar cheese make this dish and will create a satisfying smile at first bite.

This burger is so flippin tasty folks.

Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam by Diverse Dinners

Burgers are an impressive meal that have certain requirements.

Satisfy the most voracious of appetites
Relatively easy to make
Variety in taste and textures

This Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam meets all of the above requirements. The burger patty is a meaty mound of 80% lean ground beef, seasoned with a generous pinch or two of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, creating a thin crust when cooked.

The pretzel bun is the cradle and up to the task of keeping everything together. This burger would be a sloppy experience if it wasn’t for the pretzel bun’s expertise in holding on to juicy melted ingredients. However, if you find it difficult to get hold of pretzel buns, brioche buns are a good alternative.

The patty is cloaked in sweet and savory delight that is the fig onion jam, interrupted by thick melted slices of sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a true experience for the tastebuds. An experience you will want to repeat.

Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam is a casual dinner party dish. Serve with sweet potato fries and a bold wine, and follow up with a medley of sorbets. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Sharp Cheddar Burger with Fig Onion Jam

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Fig Onion Jam

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Cooking twine
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large Vidalia onions or any other sweet onions sliced thin
  • 4 fresh figs diced
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Burger

  • 1 1/2 lb 80% lean ground beef
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tsp cooking oil.
  • 4 pretzel burger buns cut in half
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese sliced

Equipment & Utensils

  • Large skillet
  • Cooking tray

Instructions

Fig Onion Jam

  • Tie lemon thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with cooking twine and set aside.
  • Heat oil in skillet on high heat.
  • When oil is hot add onions and bundle of herbs.
  • Saute onions for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add figs and mix throughly and saute for another 3 minutes. Figs will break down quickly.
  • Lower heat to medium.
  • Sprinkle sugar over onions and allow sugar to melt.
  • Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and mix thoroughly.
  • Raise heat to high and saute until liquid reduces by half.
  • Remove from heat and cover, the flavors will continue to merge.

    Burger

    • Split ground beef into four and mold into burger patties, just a little wider than the base of one of the pretzel buns.
    • Ensure the center of each patty is thinner as the patty will rise in the middle when it cooks.
    • Season both sides of each patty liberally with salt and pepper.
    • Heat oil in skillet on high heat
    • Tilt the skillet as needed to spread the oil around.
    • Carefully place patties in the skillet and cook to desired temperature. Lower heat as needed.
    • Remove patties from skillet and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
    • Lower heat to medium and place burger bun halves cut side down in skillet and allow them to heat through and soak up the meat juices.
    • Remove buns from skillet and place the base of each burger bun on cooking tray.
    • Place a cooked patty on top of each base then top with a generous mound of fig onion jam.
    • Place one or two slices of cheese on top of onion jam and place under a hot broiler to melt the cheese. Make sure the broiler is nice and hot so that the cheese melts quickly.
    • Once cheese has melted place burger buns tops on top and serve immediately.