Ingredients
Method
Make the Sourdough Pumpkin Buns
- Mix the active sourdough starter, pumpkin purée, warm milk, maple syrup and softened butter in a large bowl.
- Add the bread flour, sea salt and optional cinnamon. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel soft and slightly tacky without sticking heavily to your hands. Add another tablespoon of flour only if necessary.
- Cover and let the dough rise somewhere warm for 5 to 8 hours, until noticeably puffy and approximately 75% larger. Pumpkin dough may rise more slowly than plain sourdough.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, tight ball and flatten it gently into a hamburger-bun shape.
- Arrange the buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until soft and visibly puffy. When gently pressed, the dough should slowly spring back.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and brush the buns with milk. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden and approximately 190°F in the center.
- Brush the warm buns with melted butter.
Make the Maple Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Brush the bacon with maple syrup and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until deeply browned, crisp and lacquered. Set aside while preparing the burgers.
Make the Maple Dijon Mayo
- Whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and maple syrup together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to build the burgers.
Prepare the Apples
- Use a mandoline or sharp knife to cut the apple into paper-thin slices. Keep the apple raw so it stays crisp and cuts through the rich bacon, cheddar and beef.
Cook the Burgers
- Divide the beef into 6 loose portions. Do not pack or overwork the meat.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until smoking hot.
- Season the outside of each beef portion with salt and pepper immediately before cooking.
- Place the beef in the hot skillet and smash it into a thin patty. Cook for approximately 2 minutes per side, until browned with crisp edges.
- Add one slice of sharp cheddar during the final 30 seconds of cooking. Cover briefly so the cheese melts over the patty.
Toast the Buns and Build
- Split 6 cooled buns and toast the cut sides in a small amount of rendered bacon fat until golden.
- Spread maple Dijon mayo on both halves of each bun.
- Layer the bottom bun with butter lettuce, a cheddar-covered burger patty, 2 strips of maple bacon and a fan of raw apple slices.
- Finish with flaky sea salt and the top bun. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
The sourdough bun recipe makes 8 buns, while the burger recipe makes 6 burgers. Freeze the 2 extra buns or use them for breakfast sandwiches.
The buns are enriched and brioche-style, but they do not contain eggs. Pumpkin purée, whole milk, butter and maple syrup create the soft texture and golden color.
For savory hamburger buns, use no more than 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or omit it completely. The pumpkin adds color and moisture without making the buns taste like pumpkin pie.
Brush maple syrup onto the bacon rather than the beef. It caramelizes into a glossy coating on the bacon without making the burger patty sticky.
Keep the apple raw and slice it paper-thin. Cooked apple becomes soft and jammy, while raw apple provides the crisp acidity needed to balance the beef, bacon and cheddar.
Use sharp cheddar rather than mild cheddar. The tangier flavor stands up to the sweet maple bacon, pumpkin bun and apple.
Store cooled buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Store cooked burger components separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition is estimated for one assembled burger made with one sourdough pumpkin bun, one-third pound of 85/15 beef, one slice of cheddar, two strips of maple bacon, sauce, apple and lettuce. Exact values vary significantly by the size and brand of the bacon, cheese and mayonnaise.