Lip Smackin’ BBQ Burgers

FOR THE SAUCE:
Combine all sauce ingredients in a heavy-bottomed small saucepot and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. You will use 1/4 cup in the burger mixture, and the rest will be used for basting and serving.

FOR THE BURGERS:
Combine the egg, oats, and spices. Add in 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce to the mixture. Crumble ground meat over the mixture and mix well. Shape into six 3/4 inch patties. Make a small indentation in the middle of each patty to ensure even cooking.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. You might want to pour a little bit of the BBQ sauce into a small separate bowl to use as a condiment for your burgers (so you don’t cross contaminate it with the sauce you baste your burgers with). With the remaining sauce, baste one side of each patty and place patties onto grill, sauce side down. Immediately baste second (top) side of patties.

Grill, 5 minutes per side, or until interior temperature of burgers is 160 degrees F. Once you flip them, baste with a bit more sauce.

Split the hamburger buns and grill them, cut side down, for 1 minute. Then remove the buns from the grill and slather them with good quality mayonnaise.

Place the burgers into the buns and serve with sharp cheddar, lettuce, onion, and remaining BBQ sauce for spreading.