Red-Neck Turtle Burgers

Recipe View Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, chives, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a thick oval. Top each oval with a slice of Cheddar cheese and approximately 2 tablespoons of chopped sweet onion. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Using your fingers, create two holes on the long ends of each burger to form the head and tail. Insert half a hot dog into each hole, allowing about 1 1/2 inches of the rounded end to protrude. Press gently to secure. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Create two additional holes on each side of the burger. Insert a hot dog half into each hole to represent the legs. Make small slits, about 3/4 inch long, at the ends of each leg to simulate toes. Repeat this process for the remaining burgers, cheese, and onion. If you desire, trim the tails into sharp points for a more realistic turtle appearance. (15 minutes)

Recipe View On a flat surface, arrange three halved bacon slices side by side, with their edges touching. Weave three more bacon slices perpendicularly through the first set, creating a woven bacon square. Carefully place the bacon weave on top of a burger, positioning it between the head, legs, and tail. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining bacon and burgers to create four bacon-shelled turtles. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Place a baking rack inside a large roasting pan. Arrange the bacon-wrapped turtle burgers on the rack and loosely cover them with foil. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the burgers are cooked through and the hot dog ends are nicely browned. Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a burger to ensure it reaches at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). (30 minutes)