This recipe was selected as one of the finalists for the sixth annual “Create the Perfect Burger” contest sponsored by the New York Beef Industry Council at the 2012 New York State Fair.

Two Pounds Of Ground Veal
Six Onion Rolls
Six Slices Of Provolone Cheese
Two Roasted Red Peppers (With The Seeds And The Stems Removed)
Two Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Two Roasted Garlic Cloves
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Roasted Red Onion
Two Teaspoons Of Red Wine Vinegar
Two Teaspoons Of Frank’s Louisiana Hot Sauce
Three Teaspoons Of Salt, Divided
¼ Teaspoon Of Black Pepper
1/3 Cup Of Panko Bread Crumbs
A Beaten Egg
¼ Cup Of Milk
A Teaspoon Of Onion Powder
A Teaspoon Of Garlic Powder
A Teaspoon Of Paprika
½ Teaspoon Of Cayenne Pepper
A Teaspoon Of Mustard Powder
A Tablespoon Of Grated Romano Cheese
Olive Oil

Ketchup Recipe

To roast the red peppers and the tomatoes, brush them with olive oil and sprinkle the peppers and the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

To roast the red onion and the garlic, brush both with olive oil and sprinkle both with salt and pepper. Wrap the onion and the garlic in aluminum foil and roast in the oven along with the peppers and the tomatoes.

Roughly chop the roasted red onion and put the chopped onion in a blender. Squeeze out the roasted garlic flesh into the blender. Remove the seeds, the charred skin, and the stems from the roasted peppers. Leave the tomatoes whole. Combine the peppers, the tomatoes, the red wine vinegar, the hot sauce, and a teaspoon of salt with the garlic and the onion in the blender. Blend until smooth. Put the ketchup in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Burger Recipe

Combine the ground veal, two teaspoons of salt, the black pepper, the breadcrumbs, the beaten egg, the milk, the garlic powder, the onion powder, the paprika, the mustard powder, the grated cheese, and the cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well with your hands. Form the meat mixture into six equal patties.

Cook the patties on a hot gas grill for about five minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of 160 degrees is achieved. Add the cheese to the tops of the burgers and close the lid. Cook until the cheese has melted. Remove the burgers from the grill. Put the onion rolls on the grill cut side down. Cook for not more than a minute. Place the burgers on the rolls and serve them with the roasted red pepper and tomato ketchup.