When I say I’m making an over-the-top, crazy good burger, this BBQ Bacon Burger is what I am talking about!! The burger patty is seasoned with BBQ spices, then topped with crispy bacon slices, melty cheese, savory onion rings, pickles, tomato, lettuce and barbecue sauce. If you want to be the backyard BBQ hero, read on…
We LOOOVE a good burger here at Mom’s Dinner, and knew we needed a Barbecue Bacon Burger in the mix – we live in Kansas City after all! We hope you love this one as much as we do. Serve it up with some Homemade Creamy Coleslaw, Baked Beans, watermelon and Potato Salad.
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What Makes A Good Burger?
We really believe we have our finger on the pulse of what makes a really good burger here at Mom’s Dinner. There are about 5 things we believe in:
- Make a panade (starch and liquid) to mix into the burgers – this keeps your burgers juicy and tender.
- Season the burger mixture and definitely add 1 raw garlic clove!
- Form your burger about ½ inch larger on all sides than the bun you will be using. When it shrinks on the grill it will fit the bun perfectly, no all-bun bites.
- Use an 80/20 ground beef (ground chuck if you can find it)- for most recipes I recommend an 85/5, BUT for burgers get that fatty beef! It will lose some of the fat on the grill, but leave enough fat to have a juicy burger!
- TOAST YOUR BUNS. It takes about 2 minutes extra, but makes a huge difference and gives you restaurant quality burgers.
- Bacon.
Ingredient Details
Ground Beef – Use an 80/20 ground beef for the most flavorful and juicy burger. Ground Chuck is a great option if it is available.
Seasonings – A combo of onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and kosher salt give the burger patty a nice BBQ flavor!
Panade – Bread/Milk/Worcestershire mix together to help keep your burgers nice and tender and juicy. Avoid seedy or nutty bread – a white or wheat is a great option. If you use a bread with an overly thick or dense crust, remove that and just use the soft middle.
Garlic – This is one of our secrets to a great burger, just 1 raw garlic clove will help your burgers STAND OUT!!
Bacon – Use whatever bacon your family loves – thick, thin, crispy, extra smoky, turkey bacon, microwave bacon… you do you. If you haven’t tried baking bacon in the oven, definitely try that method!
Onion Rings – To keep this simple I generally use frozen onion rings that are baked up crispy in the oven. You can bake them right along side the bacon. Or grab an order from your favorite local restaurant, keep them warm in the oven at 175°F.
Cheese – Use whatever cheese your family loves – Cheddar, American, Pepper Jack, Provolone… This might be controversial, but I love a good ol’ American Cheese slice. They melt up the creamiest IMO.
BBQ Sauce – Again, use whatever BBQ sauce you like. I do recommend using a thicker BBQ sauce that will stick to the burger and not soak the bun. Or you can make your own Homemade BBQ Sauce! If you like mayo on your burgers (like me) mix some mayonnaise in with the BBQ sauce!
Pickles, Lettuce, Tomato – Add the burger toppings you love! Lettuce, tomato and pickles are traditional. Dill or bread & butter pickles would be great. Also, don’t forget to season your tomato slices (kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.).
Buns – Choose a hearty bun that will stand up to the size of these BBQ Bacon Burgers. A potato bun or hearty white will be a great choice here. TOAST YOUR BUNS – It will help the bun stand up to the burger and all the toppings. It is also something that makes your burgers seem like restaurant quality.
Burger Temp Guide
Everyone likes their burgers at different temperatures! The very best way to check the internal temperature of your burgers is by using an instant read thermometer. “Instant Read” is important on the grill because you don’t want to hold your hand above the HOT grill for an extended amount of time.
- Well Done: 160°F to 165°F – This will be cooked through to the center. It is the recommended temperature if you use store bought ground beef.
- Medium Well: 150°F to 155°F – This burger will have a small amount of pink in the center.
- Medium: 140°F to 145°F – Slight pink throughout the inside of the burger.
- Medium Rare: 130°F to 135°F – If proper precautions are taken, and you are making your own ground meat, you can cook and eat at this temperature.
- Rare: 120°F to 125°F – It is recommended that you never cook and eat a burger at this temperature for safety reasons.
Tips for Reducing BBQ Burger Shrinkage
Have you ever made the most gorgeous burger patties, just to have them shrink up into thick pucks on the grill? Burgers will shrink a little, no matter what, because that is how the cooking process works #science. But let me share a few tips to reduce the amount of shrinkage you get on the grill:
- Form your burger patties thinner and wider than you want your final result to be.
- When you form the burger patties, make a divot in the center with your thumb or a spoon.
- Form the patties about ½ bigger than the bun you plan to serve them on.
- If you have time you can chill the burger patties in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before grilling.
How To Make BBQ Bacon cheeseBurgers
This is a quick over view of how to make perfect BBQ Bacon Burgers on the grill. Pop down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts.
Step 1
Mix the panade, add the seasonings and ground beef.
Step 2
Form the patties. Chill while the grill is heating up.
Step 3
Meanwhile cook the bacon and onion rings.
Step 4
Grill the burgers to the desired temp, move to indirect heat to melt cheese over top. Toast the buns.
Step 4
Serve the burgers topped with bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomato, pickle and BBQ sauce.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
If you are really feeling like going the extra mile you can make your own BBQ sauce! This recipe is pretty easy to put together:
Mom’s Dinner Homemade BBQ Sauce
It starts with melted butter, onions and garlic. Then has ketchup, Worcestershire and brown sugar added as well as a savory blend of spices.
Side Dishes For BBQ Bacon Burgers
Don’t forget to add fresh cut watermelon and cold drinks to the menu!
Barbecue Bacon Burger Recipe
Equipment
- Grill (gas or charcoal)
Ingredients
Barbecue Burger Mixture
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef or ground chuck
- 1 piece white bread - or wheat bread – cut or torn into small ¼ inch pieces. Avoid a grainy or seedy bread
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove - minced
Assembly
- 6-12 slices bacon - pan fried, oven baked or microwaved, crispy
- 12 onion rings - frozen
- 6 American Cheese Slices - or Cheddar cheese slices
- 6 hamburger buns - choose hearty buns
- 6 lettuce leaves
- 1 large tomato - sliced
- 12 pickle slices
- ½ cup barbecue sauce - favorite brand or homemade
Instructions
Prep
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the torn bread, milk, Worcestershire, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt and garlic. Mash the bread into the liquid, then let it soak for a few minutes.1 piece white bread, 3 tablespoon milk, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 garlic clove
- Add the ground beef and lightly mix everything together.2 pounds 80/20 ground beef or ground chuck
- Shape the mixture into 6 patties, about ½ inch larger than your serving bun With a clean finger or spoon, make a dent in the middle of each patty to reduce the amount of shrinkage.Chill the burger patties while you prep the grill.
- Meanwhile cook the bacon to your desired crispiness (skillet, oven or microwave). Pop the onion rings in the oven to bake per package instructions.6-12 slices bacon, 12 onion rings
Grilling
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Cook the burgers over direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side (or to your preferred doneness). Move the burgers to indirect heat and top each patty with a slice of cheese. Close the grill and let the cheese melt. Remove from the grill.6 American Cheese Slices
- Butter or oil the buns. On the now empty grill place the buns cut side down and toast until golden.6 hamburger buns
Assembly
- Place the hamburgers in the buns and top with bacon, warm onion rings, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.
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