Dorothy Dean presents: Blue cheese stuffed burgers with Buffalo wing mayo

The inspiration behind this recipe came from one of my favorite restaurants in Alaska.

Club Paris is the oldest steakhouse in Anchorage. It’s been serving Alaskans and visitors since the late 1950s. The menu is adorned with mouthwatering entrees, including the finest cuts of beef and fresh Alaskan seafood.

A chef recommendation, and specialty of theirs, is to have a steak stuffed with blue cheese.

My first visit, I ordered the signature thick-cut filet mignon. It was a no-brainer to have it stuffed.

And, let me tell you, it was out-of-this-world delicious.

Now, I’ve had steaks paired with blue cheese, but something about cutting into it and having this creamy lava flow of cheese ooze out was absolutely divine.

So divine that I started stuffing all my steaks with the tangy cheese.

Then I thought, “Why not stuff my burgers?!”

And, that’s how recipe came to be. It’s my riff on a Juicy Lucy, the original cheese-stuffed burger made popular in Minnesota.

Ground beef is gently mixed with seasonings, then divided into eight patties, four of which are topped with blue cheese and the remaining patties. The edges are pinched to seal it all in.

I say “gently mixed” because if you overwork your beef you end up with chewy burgers. Nobody wants that.

And never use lean beef for burgers. The added fat makes for a more juicy and flavorful patty.

These can be grilled or cooked stove top, in a skillet. I serve mine with Buffalo mayo, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes, which adds a nice bite of heat, texture and freshness against the creamy richness of the blue cheese.

If you’re not a blue cheese fan, try Swiss, feta, pepper jack or cheddar. A mixture of cream cheese, herbs and sautéed veggies would be delicious, too.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

with Buffalo Wing Mayo

For the burgers:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning, divided

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

4 hamburger buns, split

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and halved

Desired condiments, such as, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, sliced onions, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, blue cheese dressing, ketchup

For the Buffalo Wing Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Buffalo wing hot sauce

Make the burgers: In a large bowl, gently break apart the meat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning and garlic powder. Gently mix with your hands; avoid overworking.

Shape the beef mixture into 8 equal 1/2-inch-thick patties. Divide the blue cheese evenly onto the centers of four of the patties. Top with the remaining four patties and pinch and smooth edges to seal. Sprinkle tops with remaining Montreal steak seasoning.

Cook in a skillet or grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until desired degree of doneness is achieved. And don’t press on the burgers while they’re cooking or you’ll squeeze the cheese out.

Make the Buffalo Wing Mayo: To make the Buffalo wing mayo, mix the mayonnaise and Buffalo sauce in a small bowl and chill until ready to use.

To serve: Serve hamburgers on toasted buns smeared with Buffalo wing mayo, topped with bacon and desired condiments.