Beer Burgers

1. Combine the ground chuck, beer, hot red pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
    
2. Form into four 6-ounce, 1-inch thick burgers.
    
3. Cover the burgers with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to several hours.
    
4. Grill the burgers over a medium grill or charcoal fire.
    
5. Cook to the desired doneness: 3 to 4 minutes on each side for rare, 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium, and 8 to 9 minutes on each side for well done.
    
6. Top each burger with some of the beer-braised onions (recipe below) and a slice of cheese and allow it to melt.
    
7. Toast the buns, cut side down, on the grill or in a non-stick skillet until golden brown, about 1 minute.
    
8. Serve the burgers on the toasted buns with lettuce and tomato, with the mushroom-beer ketchup (recipe below) on the side.

Beer-Braised Onions

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
   
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
   
• 1 cup beer
   
• 1 teaspoon sugar
   
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
    
2. Add 3/4 cup of beer,  sugar and salt. Cook until all beer has been absorbed by onions and they begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
    
3. Stir in the  1/4 cup beer and heat to a simmer. Serve hot.

Mushroom-Beer Ketchup

• 1 tablespoon butter
   
• 1 small onion, chopped
   
• 1/4 pound sliced mushrooms
   
• 1/3 cup beer
   
• 1/3 cup ketchup
   
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
   
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
   
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.
    
2. Add onion and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
    
3. Stir in mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
    
4. Stir in beer, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and salt.
    
5. Pureé in blender if desired. Return to saucepan and simmer until thickened, about 12 minutes.