Iowa Recipe Quest-Santa’s Wishlist Edition: Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Italian Bread Toasted w/ an Exile Beer Butter

Hannah is your perfect partner this holiday season. And just about any other season you can think of.

Exile Brewing Company: Hannah Bavarian Wheat-Des Moines, Iowa

How do I warm up during the chill of December? Well, with an ice cold beer, that’s how. Makes sense to me and everyone else who loves craft beer. It doesn’t hurt to have a huge grinder style sandwich stuffed with everything I love on a cheeseburger. I think we need to get to work.

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings

hvsea — Where you shopping this week? How about the Hy-Vee on North Dodge in Iowa City. The official sponsor of Iowa Recipe Quest! (Photo from Hy-Vee North Dodge Facebook page)

For the bacon cheeseburger filling:

1 lbs thick cut bacon chopped and fried to crisp
1 small white onion
1/2 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
3 teaspoons fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
8 oz Baby Bella sliced mushrooms
2 lbs 90-10 ground beef
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 can cream of onion soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Is the suspense killing you or what! Brown that burger up with the onion and mushrooms, add the crispy chopped bacon and the rest of the ingredients. Stir that magical beefy mixture up and set aside. Let’s get the bread prepped and stuffed!

Remember….This is everything I love on a cheeseburger and we’re bringing it together in a huge baked sa’mich! Fry up four eggs to your liking. (Mine were still runny after it was said and done) Cut the loaf of bread in half length-wise and tear our most of the bread from the crust. Place the burger mixture on the bread first then the tomatoes, eggs, and Colby Jack cheese. Top it with the other half of bread and get ready for some Exile beer butter….

1/2 cup Exile Hannah
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Italian season
Garlic salt
Sliced banana peppers
Sliced Swiss cheese

Bring beer up to a boil in a saucepan and then add the butter, a few pinches of Italian seasoning and garlic salt to taste and simmer until the butter is melted. Brush the beer butter over the top of the grinder and then garnish with banana peppers and sliced Swiss cheese. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray and place the grinder in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Slice into fourths or chow down on that yourself. On second thought, leave some behind for jolly old Saint Nick. The beer too. It’s been a long year and he’ll need it. Let’s have a merry one!