Ingredients

Pork:

1 lb / 0.5 kg lean ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp / 15 mL Dijon mustard
1 egg, slightly beaten
½ cup / 125 mL fine dry breadcrumbs
½ tsp / 2 mL EACH salt and ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns, sliced
2 tart apples, thinly sliced
¼ cup / 50 mL crumbled blue cheese

Maple Dijon Glaze:

¼ cup / 50 mL maple syrup
2 Tbsp / 30 mL Dijon mustard

Caramelized Onions:

1 Tbsp / 15 mL EACH unsalted butter and canola oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rings

Directions

1. In large bowl, gently combine ground pork with garlic, mustard, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper; do not overmix.
2. Form mixture into 4 large patties. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. In small bowl, whisk together maple syrup and mustard. Set aside.
4. To caramelize onions, melt butter with oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and golden, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. Preheat barbecue on high; reduce heat to medium. Grill patties 7-9 minutes per side or until instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. Brush patties with Maple Dijon Glaze.
6. To assemble, place patty on bottom half of bun. Top with apples, caramelized onions and blue cheese. Cover with top half of bun.

*For better burgers, use gentle hands to mix and form patties that are consistent in size so that they all cook at about the same rate. Make a thumbprint indent in the centre of each patty to help prevent ‘patty puffing’ while grilling.