Labor Day Burgers with Beer Sauce

This easy recipe is sure to be a hit this Labor Day (or any day) with beer-loving guys (and gals!) This recipe makes 6 burgers, but you can just multiply it if feeding a crowd.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground beef*
Optional: 1 tsp salt
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs diced onion
2 Tbs diced green pepper
1/2 cup ketchup**
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup beer
Optional: 6 slices of cheese
6 hamburger buns, OR 6 slices of toasted rye bread (to serve as open-face burgers)

In a large bowl combine the ground meat with salt if using (and with egg & bread crumbs if using ground venison or turkey instead of beef). Shape into six 1/2 inch thick patties and place on a platter and keep in refrigerator or cooler while you make the beer sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and saute the onions & peppers until tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, worcestershire sauce and cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Stir this ketchup mixture into the saucepan, then add the beer. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring, until the sauce reaches a boil, then lower the heat to keep sauce warm. Brush the top of each raw burger with the beer sauce. Grill the burgers over medium-hot coals until done, turning once and brushing with more beer sauce from time to time. If using cheese, place a slice on each burger just before removing from grill to slightly melt the cheese. Serve the burgers on buns, or on a slice of toasted rye bread for open-face burgers, with more of the hot beer sauce spooned over each cooked patty.

*For leaner burgers: Substitute ground turkey or venison for some or all of the ground beef. If using ONLY ground turkey or ground venison, you should mix in an egg and some bread crumbs or cracker crumbs to help the leaner ground meat bind into burgers.

**For spicy beer sauce: Substitute a spicy ketchup for regular ketchup.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria