Light Beer Hamburgers, *Mushroom-Beer Ketchup, *Beer-Braised Onions

[nverland]

Light Beer Hamburgers, *Mushroom-Beer Ketchup, *Beer-Braised Onions
Light Beer Hamburgers
Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 18 min

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds 90% lean ground chuck
2 tablespoons light beer
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 (1/2-ounce) slices brick cheese
4 hamburger buns
Sliced tomato and lettuce leaves for garnish, optional
Beer-braised onions (recipe below)
Mushroom-beer ketchup (recipe below)

Instructions
-Combine the lean ground chuck, light beer, hot red pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
-Form into four 6-ounce, 1-inch thick burgers.
-Cover the burgers with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to several hours.
-Grill the burgers over a medium grill or charcoal fire.
-Cook to the desired doneness: 3 to 4 minutes on each side for rare, 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium, and 8 to 9 minutes on each side for well done.
-Top each burger with some of the beer-braised onions (recipe below) and a slice of cheese and allow it to melt.
-Toast the buns, cut side down, on the grill or in a non-stick skillet until golden brown, about 1 minute.
-Serve the burgers on the toasted buns with lettuce and tomato, with the mushroom-beer ketchup on the side.


*Mushroom-Beer Ketchup

1 tablespoon butter substitute
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 pound sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup light beer
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt

-Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.
-Add onion and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
-Stir in mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
-Stir in beer, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and salt.
-Purée in blender if desired. Return to saucepan and simmer until thickened, about 12 minutes.


*Beer-Braised Onions

1 tablespoon unsalted butter substitute
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup light beer
1 teaspoon sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt

-Melt butter substitute in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
-Add 3/4 cup of light beer, sugar substitute and salt. Cook until all beer has been absorbed by onions and they begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
-Stir in the 1/4 cup beer and heat to a simmer. Serve hot.