
This is a recipe I adapted from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine during a time when I was attending a lot of college football games with my father. They take some time to make, but they can be made a day ahead and cooked on game day. They are totally worth the work!
Place the 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 Tablespoons of bourbon, barbecue sauce, and 2 minced garlic cloves in a food processor. Blend in spurts until well mixed. Set aside.
In a small skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened and lightly browned.
In a large bowl, mix together the pork and sirloin. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the sautéed onions and garlic, bourbon, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, melted butter, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Add in the ground meat and mix well. Shape into 16 small burgers. Place 8 burgers each on 2 different plates.
In the center of each of the first 8 burgers, put 1 Tablespoon of the Bourbon-cheddar filling. Top those 8 burgers with the other 8 patties. Pinch the edges to make a firm seal. Keep the leftover filling on the side for grilling time.
Heat the oven to a low temp to lightly toast the rolls.
Heat the grill to medium heat. Place the patties on the grill and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the patties over and place 1 Tablespoon of the Bourbon-cheddar filling on top. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve the burgers on the toasted rolls with lettuce and tomato slices.