Double Cheddar Cheeseburgers

We did our own Corcoran Street Tri-Ironchef Tournament last year. Kelaine, Mark, and I challenged each other to see who could make the perfect sliders. We went to Wholefoods to buy are special ingredients and each whipped up 6 sliders. We traded them around and voted to see whose cuisine reigned supreme. I was excited and in the zone. I am clearly the most experienced chef in this group…but I sensed that Kelaine could be some real competition. I’ve eaten her Minestrone soup before and it is perfection. She mostly makes salads for dinner, though so I figured she was mine. I knew that I could handle Mark easily since he mostly sits on the couch, watching TV while I’m cooking dinner. I went an unconventional route with a fancy burger that had blue cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic aioli. It was good. I forget what Kelaine made, but it was good too. However, flipping Mark bought two types of cheddar cheese, stuffed hunks of one inside the burger and melted the other on top of the burger. The effect was oozing, cheesetastic, fantastic-ness that was the unanimous winner. I was defeated, but full of cheese, which made me happy. I recreated Mark’s genius recipe in regular sized burgers here. I hope you give the double cheddar delights a try.
Double Cheddar Cheeseburgers
2 lbs. ground meat (I opted for 93/7 and they were a little dry. Get 80/20)
1/2 cup pale ale
1 block aged cheddar
12 slices mild cheddar
12 buns
salt and pepper
Garnish plate: sliced tomatoes, sliced onion or chopped scallion, lettuce

1. Place the ground meat in a large bowl and roll up your sleaves. Add 1/2 cup pale ale, 1 Tbs. salt and 1/2 Tbs. black pepper. Use your hands to work the meat and fully combine the beer into the meat.
2. Form 12 burger patties and 12 tiny, 1/2 inch patties (that you will use to "close" the burgers once you put the cheese in the centers). Use yout thumb to make a small indent in the center of the paties for the cheese.
3. Slice the aged cheddar into 12 slices that will fit into your burgers.
4. Pat the cheese into the indentation and then use the mini patties to seal the burgers. Use your hands to work the burgers so that they are sealed and about an even thickness.
5. Grill the burgers for about 5-6 minutes per side or until they are your desired level of done-ness. Top with mild cheddar slices and allow to melt.
6. Put the burgers on the buns and garnish them your way. Enjoy!