Chef Tom whips up a Southern staple, Pimento Cheese, then fires up the Kamado Joe Ceramic Charcoal grill and smothers his burgers with the spread. This is the Pimento Cheese Burger!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Setting up a two-zone Kamado with GrillGrates on one side and a cast iron griddle on the other lets the patties sear with grill marks first, then move to a flatter surface to melt the cheese without losing contact
- Toasting the buns in clarified butter on the same griddle used later for the burgers ties the bread's flavor to the same fat everything else cooks in
- Moving the patties to the griddle partway through cooking, right as they hit 140°F, times the cheese addition to when there's still enough cooking left to melt it fully without overcooking the meat
- Building the pimento cheese as a from-scratch blend of two cheddars, cream cheese, and hot sauce gives it a sharper, more complex flavor than a single pre-shredded cheese would
Pimento Cheese Burger
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
6
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Calories
951
Chef Tom makes a classic Southern Pimento Cheese, spreads it generously on a burger, and grills it to perfection on a Kamado Joe Ceramic Charcoal Grill. Experience the deliciousness of this mouth-watering Pimento Cheese Burger!
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef/brisket
-
R Butts R Smokin’ R Beef BBQ Rub
- 6 brioche buns
- 6 slices bacon
- Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
- Tomato, sliced thin
-
Holmes Made Dad’s Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles
- 4 oz sharp yellow cheddar, grated
- 4 oz horseradish cheddar, grated
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 oz diced canned/jarred pimentos, rinsed
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
-
1 1/2 tsp Kozlik’s Dijon Classique
-
1 1/2 tsp Heat Maverick’s Anti Gravity Hot Sauce
-
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh chives, minced
For the pimento spread: 1/4 cup per burger
Directions
- Combine ingredients for the pimento spread in a mixing bowl and mix well until incorporated.
- Build a hot coal base in the Kamado Joe Classic III. Temperature should be stabilized between 450°F and 500°F. Bank the hot coals to one side. Place a half moon GrillGrate panel on the standard grate, at the lower setting of the Divide and Conquer System, directly over the hot coals. On the cool side of the grill, place the Kamado Joe Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle, at the highest setting.
- Divide the ground beef/brisket into 6 (1/3 lb) patties. Place in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
- Toast the brioche bun in clarified butter on the griddle.
- Cook the bacon on the griddle. Remove from the grill.
- Season the burger patties with R Butts R Smokin’ R Beef Rub. Place the burgers on the half-moon GrillGrate panel, grilling to achieve grill marks on both sides. When the internal temperature reaches 140°F move them to the griddle and top each patty with 1/4 cup of the pimento cheese.
- Continue to cook the burgers to an internal temperature of 155°F. Remove from the griddle.
- To build the burger, cover the bottom bun with a leaf of butter lettuce. Top with the pickle, then tomato, place the burger patty on the tomato, then the bacon and top bun on the pimento cheese.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why set up two different cooking surfaces GrillGrates and a cast iron griddle instead of one?
The GrillGrate panel over direct heat sears grill marks into both sides of the patty first. Moving to the flatter cast iron griddle afterward gives the pimento cheese topping a stable, even surface to melt on without the patty losing contact over open grates.
Why toast the brioche buns in clarified butter on the same griddle used for the burgers?
Using the same griddle and fat ties the bun's flavor to everything else cooking on that surface, rather than toasting the bread separately with no connection to the rest of the build.
Why move the patties to the griddle specifically at 140°F instead of earlier or later?
Timing the move to 140°F leaves enough cooking time remaining for the pimento cheese to fully melt into the patty before it reaches its final target, rather than adding the cheese too early or too late in the cook.
Why blend two different cheddars into the pimento spread instead of using one?
Combining sharp yellow cheddar with horseradish cheddar, plus cream cheese for body, gives the spread a sharper, more layered flavor than a single pre-shredded cheese would provide on its own.
What internal temperature should the burger patties actually reach?
This recipe pulls them at 155°F, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for ground beef is 160°F. Continue cooking to at least 160°F rather than pulling at 155°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 a hot cast iron skillet or griddle on the stovetop can replicate both stages of this cook; the grill mainly adds char and a touch of smoke to the patties.
Recipe Highlights
Dual-surface setup: GrillGrates for searing, cast iron griddle for melting the cheese.
Shared-griddle bun toasting: Ties the bread's flavor to the same fat as the rest of the cook.
140°F cheese timing: Leaves enough cook time for full melt without overcooking the patty.
Two-cheddar pimento spread: Builds sharper, more complex flavor than a single cheese.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 14.16 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 951
- Carbs
- 41 grams
- Protein
- 66 grams
- Fat
- 55 grams
- Sodium
- 1567 milligrams
