Barbecue Bacon Burger

First Sunday of 2023. Brayden is sixty-six weeks old. Aunt Linda and Roy drove to Tulsa Saturday morning and are staying at our apartment Saturday and Sunday night before they head over to Harper’s for the rest of the week. The shower is Saturday January 7.

The barbecue bacon burger is the upgraded version of the homemade-bbq-burger from October — the same ground-chuck patty and homemade barbecue sauce, but now with two slices of crispy bacon and a slice of sharp cheddar on the brioche bun. The bacon is the substantial addition. The bacon goes between the cheese and the burger, which lets the cheese melt over the bacon and pulls the bacon-fat and the bbq sauce into a single rich condiment-layer.

The technique question on a stacked burger is the assembly order. The cheese-on-bacon-on-patty-on-sauce-on-bun layout is the order I have settled on after testing. The bun is bottom-toasted with sauce; the patty goes on next with the cheese already on top; the bacon-strips go on the cheese; the top bun closes it. The structural integrity holds for the time it takes to eat the burger.

Sunday I made it. Aunt Linda had a small portion. Roy had a small portion. Dustin had two full burgers. I had one. Brayden had a small portion of plain cooked ground beef and a tiny piece of the brioche bun. The dish was the Sunday-dinner anchor that Aunt Linda and Roy joined into easily.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 strips thick-cut bacon
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
4 brioche burger buns, toasted
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
Dill pickle slices, to taste

Instructions

Cook the bacon. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon strips until crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan.
Form the patties. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined — do not overwork. Divide into 4 equal portions and press each into a patty about 3/4 inch thick. Press a shallow indent into the center of each patty to prevent puffing.
Grill or pan-sear. Heat a grill or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Cook patties 3–4 minutes per side for medium doneness. During the last minute of cooking, brush the top of each patty with barbecue sauce and lay a slice of cheddar on top. Cover briefly to melt the cheese.
Toast the buns. Lightly butter the cut sides of the brioche buns and toast on the grill or in a dry skillet until golden, about 1 minute.
Build the burgers. Spread a generous layer of barbecue sauce on the bottom bun. Layer on lettuce, tomato, the cheesy patty, 2 strips of bacon, red onion, and pickles. Add the top bun and press gently. Serve immediately with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Barbecue Bacon Burger