Name: Bruschetta Burgers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 large slices French or Italian bread; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/8 tsp salt; 1 1/2 c diced roma tomatoes (diced); 1 tsp vegetable oil; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 tbsp finely chopped onion; 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil; 1/8 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp minced garlic; 1 lb 80/20 ground beef; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp minced garlic; fresh basil leaves; 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese; balsamic glaze

Bring your grilled burgers to the next level with all the bruschetta flavors! Served on a toasted French or Italian Bread, this juicy burger patty is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, a garlicy tomato bruschetta topping and finally drizzled with balsamic glaze!! Hello, flavor!

This post is part of the Burger Month Giveaway hosted by GirlCarnivore but the amazing burger recipe is all my own!

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A side view of a Bruschetta Burger without the top bun, being drizzled with balsamic glaze sauce.

A couple months ago, I was invited to be a part of Girl Carnivore's annual Burger Month. Now at the time, it was still like FREEZING in Iowa and the last thing I was thinking about was the grill. Yes, I realize that this makes me a "fair-weather griller," and I'm totally cool with that. However, when the warm weather rolls around, I've got my tongs and spatula in hand, ready to fire it up!

Now the only rule to being a part of Burger Month is that you must come up with an "epic" burger recipe. I wanted to do something different and unique, but achievable with ingredients you can find in any grocery store. I loved how this burger turned out because its flavors are big and simply said, this gourmet burger is 110% epic!

How do you make a juicy burger?

No matter what you plan to use for toppings, a great burger always starts with a juicy burger patty. I've got a couple tried-and-true tips for making sure your burgers are juicy each and every time!

Don't over-mix the beef before shaping it into patties. When you add salt and other ingredients into the ground meat, it adds flavor, but can also act as a binder. When the meat particles get too tightly bound, the patty will feel tough and can result in a dry patty.

Get the grill hot before adding the burgers. You want to make sure your grill is nice and hot (400 - 450 degrees F), so when you add the meat patties, it'll cook quickly and lock in the moisture.

Only flip the burgers once. There's a key sign of knowing when to flip your burger - read on!

How do I know when my burger is done?

As I mentioned above, I recommend only flipping your burger once. When your first put the burger on the hot grill, shut the lid and let it cook for a few minutes. If you like your burger with some pink in the center (medium), you will flip the burger when you start seeing pink juices oozing out the top of the burger.

Then once the burger is flipped, you'll watch for the pink juices to seep through the top once again. When that happens, your burger is finished if you like it medium done-ness.

If you'd like it to be fully cooked, it will take an additional couple minutes on both sides. Therefore, after you see the pink juices, let it cook a couple minutes longer before flipping and before pulling it off the grill. Especially for pregnant women and children, burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F to ensure that it is safe to eat.

If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, I'd highly recommend getting one! I use my ThermoWorks thermometer almost daily!

What do you season burgers with?

I like to keep the actual burger patty pretty simple so the meat flavor still comes through. For this recipe, I simply season the ground beef with salt and garlic to compliment the flavor of the toppings.

What type of ground beef should I use?

I recommend using 80/20 ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat) so there's enough fat to make the burgers nice and moist.

My husband and I both have aunts and uncles who raise beef cattle, so we buy our beef from them. However, buying your beef from a nearby locker or grocery store is just as good!

What should I serve my burgers with?

We typically serve burgers with a salad, fresh fruit (whatever's in season!) and chips! Oh and dessert, because.....any meal is better with dessert! A couple of my favorite summer desserts are this Lemon Poke Cake and this refreshing Rainbow Sherbet Cake Roll!

Ok, now the fun part - the Annual Burger Month GIVEAWAY!

A huge thanks to the #BurgerMonth sponsors for the Ultimate Burger Grilling Giveaway: Cabot Cheese, Char-Griller Grills, Crow Canyon Home, Porter Road, Melissas Produce, Red Duck, Spiceology, & Western BBQ

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