Have you ever had peanut butter on a hamburger? Or Hot Pepper Jelly?
I hadn’t either …………. until last night.
And to be fair, I gave up red meat several years ago because of Poo’s well-documented fight against heart disease so, I haven’t had a burger in a very long time.
The PB & JJ Burger has both peanut butter and jalapeno jelly and, in fact, the hot pepper jelly is my homemade jelly.
Apparently peanut butter on a hamburger is not a new idea, although I have never heard of such a thing. Big Booger has had something of the sort and tells me it tastes like melted cheese on the burger. Idk …… I think it sounds kind of weird.
There may be some of you reading this and simultaneously yelling at the computer, “Katy, have you been living in a cave, everyone is selling burgers with peanut butter on them!” Uhm, no ……. I don’t think so.
I think ……. my date with this unusual concoction began about a year ago.
Last Summer: Poo and I were eating lunch at one of our favorite places in town, Legends Southside Bar. One of the bartenders mentioned that they use jalapeño jelly on one of their specialty items.
Legends Southside Bar was opened in 1858. It is the second-oldest continuously running bar in the state of Indiana and the oldest in Wayne County. From the outside, the bar looks like a well maintained historical home. If it wasn't for the sign, hanging high above the tiny entrance, you might pass right by it without notice. As you make your way in the door, you will quickly acknowledge the modern feel along with the preservation of the historical features. I haven't, personally, been in the Men's restroom but there is talk about a certain fixture and the history around it. I'll just leave that to your imagination :)
Of course, my eyes were bulging out and, my ears perked up as I coyly asked him if he liked jalapeño jelly. (I’m always looking for that unsuspecting sucka to take a jar of it off my hands but, most people I know don’t like the really hot stuff I make)
Yep, found me ‘nother taker!
As you might remember from my previous post, “How Do You Use Your Jalapeños?” I make three heat levels of Hot Pepper Jelly and I label them X, XX, and XXX to keep track of the fieriness.
I took Matt, the Legends bartender, a jar of the XX and XXX the next time we went for lunch but, I didn’t really hear anything after that so I figured he didn’t really care for it.
Hey, it happens ……. you can’t make everyone love what you love.
Fast Forward to February: I remember it was around Valentine’s Day. We were meeting a group of friends we get together with regularly, (aka, ‘The Posse’) at Legends for dinner and drinks.
I still had a lot of little 4 oz jars of jalapeno jelly left from our annual canning event so I brought everyone a jar of the new and improved “Red Jalapeno Hot Pepper Jelly” I made this year. There were a few extra jars floating around and Bill, a posse member, gave one to someone in the kitchen.
Last Week: Poo and I decided to have dinner on the Legends patio last week and when we walked in, Matt greeted me with the words, “WE NEED YOUR HOT PEPPER JELLY!”
Yessssss ……… music to my ears 🙂
Legends just happens to feature a “Sandwich of the Month” and August is the PB & JJ Burger, starring peanut butter and my very own red jalapeno jelly.
I have to admit after hearing Adria, the kitchen manager and the mastermind behind this crazy burger, explain how they planned to use my precious jelly, I had ………… uhmmmm ……….. some doubt?
Legends Southside Bar, which is located at the corner of South 5th and South D Street, in Richmond, still has the original subway-style flooring. It also showcases the original bar, built by Kramer Manufacturing, and there still remains a pit in the basement where turtles were kept alive in the event that a customer wanted turtle soup. No ...... they do not serve turtle soup anymore. Whew! * From The Palladium Item
Although I was hesitant, Adria and Matt were insistent that this was a burger your mouth would water, profusely, for and they were very convincing so, I agreed to sell the last seven – 1/2 pints of my Jelly for the Legends August PB & JJ Burger.
Apparently, Adria’s inspiration came from a famous burger sold at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant, in West Lafayette, Indiana. This diner was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri.
The Triple XXX burger is called The Duane Purvis All-American, which highlights similar ingredients but made with American cheese.
I don’t know about you but, Adria’s burger had me at “pepper jack cheese!” I think the PB & JJ Burger has to be the better choice between the two and after you taste it, you’ll know why.
Duane Purvis was an All-American football player who played halfback and fullback for Purdue from 1932-1934.
As it turns out, Guy Fieri didn’t care so much for the “Duane Purvis Burger” back in 2007 when he so famously tried it but, then again, my Red Jalapeno Jelly wasn’t lurking on the bottom of the bun!
O. M. Geeeee …………..
Of course, as soon as August 1st rolled around, we had to high-tail it down to Legends and try that burger out.
Adria, my girl, you are on to something. The combination was superb and as long as you like a little heat, you’ll love this burger. Not too hot, not too wimpy, it was just right.
The peanut butter offsets the hot pepper jelly and allows all the flavors to intermingle like an angelic union.
I suppose I could be slightly bias?
No, it really was heavenly.
Step back Mr. Fieri ……….. this burger is a crowd pleaser not even you could deny.
Hmmm ……. I’m thinking that my Cranberry Jalapeno Christmas Jam would make a perfect addition to some kind of turkey slider for their November & December “Sandwich of the Month.”
“Tonights Forecast: 99% chance of peanut butter.”
xoxo, Katy