BBQ Bacon Burgers Recipe

BBQ Bacon Burgers are probably one of the best, but most underrated of burgers. Ground beef burger patties topped with pepper jack cheese and a carmelized onion-bacon mixture, this bacon burgers recipe is one that your friends and family will be clamoring for. Try this smoky, cheesy, packed-full-of-flavor burger at your next barbecue and see why.

Serve this easy Bacon Burger Recipe with Classic Potato Salad and an easy Vegetable Tray on the side. It’s one of those great meals for busy nights because it feels fun, but is super simple to prepare. It’s a great way to stop eating out.

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Cheeseburgers are one of my very favorite foods to order at a restaurant or cook on the grill. They are the epitome of summer time and cooking out of doors. My favorite burger toppings include tender grilled onions, smoky bacon, yummy cheese, and perhaps a hint of spiciness. 

Those are what make this BBQ Bacon Burger so special.

This particular bacon cheeseburgers recipe features those same grilled onions and pepper jack cheese. Topped with homemade, naturally sweetened barbecue sauce and laden with bits of cooked bacon, it’s the ultimate example of cheeseburger perfection, a barbecue bacon cheeseburger you can easily make at home for so much less than it would cost at a restaurant or even the fast food drive-through.

Why Make This

It’s loaded with flavor. With a tasty Hamburger Seasoning, bacon, Apricot BBQ sauce, onions, and pepper jack cheese, this BBQ Bacon Burger is a flavor sensation!

It’s easy to make-ahead. Since you can prep and freeze burger patties as well as bake bacon to freeze in advance and keep custom seasoning blends on hand for instant flavor, this is a simple recipe to prep ahead of time.

It’s so much cheaper than getting take-out. It used to be that a run to Micky D’s was a quick and cheap way to get dinner on the table. Those days are gone. So learning to grill burgers yourself and make your own favorite burgies at home is the smarter, Good Cheap Eats way.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make BBQ Bacon Burgers:

ground beef or ground turkey – honestly, you can use whatever grind you prefer for burgers, though ground beef is often traditional. I often find pre-made patties on clearance for about 50 cents each. Ideally, look for meat that’s under $3/pound.

Hamburger Seasoning – making your own seasoning is easier and cheaper than buying a burger spice blend. Cajun Spice is also great on this! In a pinch, you can use garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I like adding the spices as a type of rub on the outside while some like to mix the seasonings along with worcestershire sauce into the meat itself. Try it according to the recipe first, but by all means, make this BBQ Bacon Burger recipe your own.

onion – The fast food restaurants use onion rings to add flavor to the burger, but I find that sauteing sliced onion in bacon drippings gives them amazing flavor and is a great way to stretch your bacon purchase. If you like, you can add onion rings as well, or serve them on the side.

bacon – You only need a few slices of bacon. You can use precooked bacon if that’s what you buy.

oil – Depending on how fatty your bacon is, you may or may not need the oil. If you use precooked or turkey bacon, the oil will be needed.

pepper jack cheese – I love the subtle kick of spice that pepper jack gives to BBQ Bacon burgers. If you prefer, you can use cheddar, swiss, or Monterey Jack instead.

buns – Homemade hamburger buns take this recipe over the top, but feel free to use your favorite type. For a fun twist, you can make these as a patty melt on thick Sourdough Rye Bread.

BBQ Sauce – I love this homemade Apricot BBQ Sauce, but absolutely use your favorite bottled variety if you prefer.

sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves – these add a fresh element to your burgers that’s a perfect foil to the richness of the cheese and bacon.

Divide the ground meat into four equal portions and form each into a hamburger patty. Season to taste with seasoning. Cook the patties over a hot grill or in a hot pan until cooked through, about ten to fifteen minutes.

When the burgers are almost done, add a slice of cheese to each one and cook until cheese is melted.

To make ahead:

• prep the burgers and the seasoning
• precook the bacon and onion mixture.
• buy or bake the buns.
• slice the cheese and prepare the other toppings.
• mix up the BBQ sauce.
• store the perishable items in separate covered containers in the fridge.

At serving time, simply cook the burgers on the grill or in a pan and reheat the onion mixture. If you want, you could even precook the patties and simply reheat in the microwave when it’s time to serve.