I grew up in New Mexico, but moved away after high school graduation. And one of the things I miss is green chiles on everything. Notice the spelling of that word: CHILE. When talking about the most famous product of the state of New Mexico, there is no second I. The word chili refers to the stuff that’s made with beans, meat, tomato sauce and, yes, chili powder.

Bacon-Wrapped Green Chile Cheeseburger
Ingredients (for one serving):

• 1/3 lb. ground beef
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped green chile
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Approx. 2 oz shredded cheddar
• 4 slices bacon

Utensils/tools needed:

• Bowl (for meat mixture)
• Plate (for forming patty)
• Knife or kitchen scissors
• Grill pan, broiler pan, or wire rack in a regular, foil-lined pan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400–450°F (hotter for crisper bacon). In the bowl, combine meat, onion, green chile, salt, and pepper. I used frozen chopped onions, which helped keep the meat cold while I was handling it.

Remove about 2/3 of the meat from the bowl and roll it into a ball. Place ball on plate, then, using a bowl or cup, or just your hands, press the meat down into a patty with a rim:

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Make sure the edges are the same thickness and height all the way around for even cooking. Place cheese in the well (and more green chiles if you like).

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Then, roll the last 1/3 of the meat into a ball before pressing into a patty with even thickness to form the “lid” for the stuffed burger.

Cut the bacon slices in half lengthwise, then lay out in a grid on a flat surface as so:

(I ended up needing to move the horizontal and vertical slices closer together.)

Place the patty on the crossed bacon slices, then alternating sides, wrap the slices around to the top of the burger. You can try making it prettier than I did, but just make sure that most of the pieces of bacon are tucked under another to make sure they don’t slide off during cooking.

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Transfer to pan and roast for 25 minutes.

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Turn oven to broil and let cook until bacon is desired crispness. Let sit for five minutes and then ENJOY!