I made a leap of faith with these Lamb and Goat Cheese Burgers with Cabernet Barbecue Sauce and am so glad I did; one of the best burgers I’ve ever made!
I joined a burger-themed event a few years ago and wanted to create something completely different. The result was these Lamb and Goat Cheese Burgers with a Cabernet barbecue sauce and fried onion strings — an unexpected combination that turned out to be one of my favorite burgers ever.
My inspiration started with a beloved recreated burger that used blackberry jam, which proved to me that burgers don’t always need lettuce and tomato. After that idea, a series of fortunate ingredient discoveries steered the whole project.
First, I unexpectedly won a prize package from the American Lamb Board that included five pounds of local ground lamb. That made the choice to build a lamb burger an easy one.
Next, I received samples of two wonderful French cheeses. A double-crème and a goat’s milk cheese caught my attention: the goat cheese’s tang and creaminess felt like a natural partner for lamb.
I wanted a sauce that would complement those flavors, and a red wine barbecue sauce seemed perfect. I had some Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce’ on hand and a bottle of Cabernet, so I combined both to create a robust, wine-forward barbecue glaze. The initial version was very vinegary, so I adjusted the balance with a touch more sweetness to suit the lamb’s rich character.
For texture and contrast, I wanted something crisp and sweet. Instead of simply grilling onions, I made fried onion strings: thinly sliced sweet onions dipped in a light batter and quickly fried until crispy. They add a delightful crunch and a hint of sweetness that balances the tangy goat cheese and the savory lamb.
I tested a few bun options and ended up using pretzel rolls, which matched the slightly decadent burger without overpowering it. I made each patty modest in size — about 5.5 ounces — so the flavors stay balanced and the roll-to-meat ratio feels right.
The final combination worked beautifully: the lamb’s richness, the cabernet barbecue sauce’s depth, the goat cheese’s creamy tang, and the crisp sweetness of the onion strings all played together. I made six burgers and couldn’t resist sampling more than once — they were that good.
See you at the grill!
More Favorite Burgers
- Blue Cheese Bison Burger
- Homemade Smashburger Spicy Cowboy Burger
- Jalapeno Pepper Patty Melt
- Gorgonzola and Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Burger
- Dubliner Beef Burger with Irish Stout Ketchup
- Canyon Creek Burger from Ted’s Montana Grill
- Tri-Color Bean Greek Veggie Burgers
- French Onion Veggie Burger
- Tuna Dijon Burger
Homemade Hamburger Buns
- Homemade Hamburger Buns with Sesame Seeds
PIN IT! ‘Lamb and Goat Cheese Burgers’
Lamb and Goat Cheese Burgers with Cabernet Barbecue Sauce
Barb
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cabernet Sauce
- 2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Molasses
- 3 tablespoons Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce sub a favorite barbecue sauce if necessary
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 scallions white and green parts both, cut into thin rounds
For the Burgers
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons Cabernet Barbecue Sauce
To Finish the Burgers
- 4 ounces Goat cheese thinly sliced or crumbled
- 6 burger buns I used Pretzel rolls from Costco
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Pioneer Woman Onion Strings
Instructions
To Make the Sauce
-
Reduce the Cabernet Sauvignon in a large skillet over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of liquid remains. Transfer the reduction to a bowl to cool.
-
In the same skillet, combine the honey, garlic, brown sugar, molasses and Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce’ and bring to a simmer.
-
When it foams, cook for another minute, remove from heat and stir in the sherry vinegar. Return to the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens to a light glaze, about 12–15 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, scallions and the reserved wine reduction. Whisk to combine and taste for seasoning.
To Make the Burgers
-
Mix the ground lamb with salt, pepper and 4 tablespoons of the Cabernet Barbecue Sauce. Form into six patties.
-
Grill the patties over medium heat until they reach an internal temperature of 150°F, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, brush both sides with more sauce, top with goat cheese and cover briefly to let the cheese soften.
-
Let the patties rest until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
-
Brush the rolls with olive oil and grill briefly to crisp the insides, about 1 minute.
-
Assemble the burgers: spread a little sauce on the rolls, add the patty topped with goat cheese, pile on the onion strings and serve with extra sauce on the side.