The Perfect BBQ Cheeseburger

Ingredients:

Burgers

• 1.1 kg ground beef
• 1 red onion, sliced ​​into rings
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 6 slices Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
• 6 sesame seed hamburger buns, cut in half horizontally
• 2 avocados, thinly sliced

Barbecue sauce

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 tbsp chili spice mix
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

1. BBQ sauce

   
   In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. chili spice mix and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add ketchup, apricot jam, mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
3. Make some burgers.
   
   In a bowl, combine ground beef and 3 tablespoons of the prepared barbecue sauce; mix with your hands. Form the ground beef into 6 1/2-inch-thick patties; season both sides with salt and black pepper.
4. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Toss the onions with 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce and vegetable oil. Grill the onions (use a grill rack if you have one), turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 8 minutes.
5. Transfer 1/2 cup of the remaining barbecue sauce to a separate bowl. Increase the grill temperature to medium-high and grill the patties, brushing them with barbecue sauce and turning occasionally, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare. One minute before the end of the cooking time, top each patty with a slice of cheese and let it melt. Toast the buns on the grill.
6. Serve the patties with cheese on buns; top with fried onions, sliced ​​avocado, drizzle with barbecue sauce, and top with the top buns.