Julie Clark
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Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers
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This Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers recipe is packed full of flavor and loaded with cheese, bacon and onion rings. It’s an easy burger recipe your family will love!
This Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers recipe is inspired by my favorite dinner at several different restaurants. I crave big, juicy burgers, and they are often my dinner of choice when we eat out. The homemade version didn’t disappoint!
I mean just look at these barbecue bacon burgers. They were so good.
About this BBQ Hamburger Recipe
- Flavor: This isn’t your standard burger patty. It’s loaded with flavor. Think dark brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce. They really pack a punch and the toppings are just a bonus.
- Texture: The key to a great hamburger is to not overwork the ground beef when mixing and shaping. Keep the mixture loose and you’ll end up with a tender burger. There’s no flour or egg in this burger mixture. It’s all about the meat.
- Method: Make patties and grill the burgers, or make balls of ground beef mixture and flatten them with a grill press (or heavy spatula) on a Blackstone griddle (or cast iron skillet) like a Smashburger. Both ways are delicious.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Joanna says, “These bbq bacon burger recipe is awesome! Came out so juicy and the flavor of the meat was a but spicy but perfect. The bbq sauce and bacon on top were do die for. I used primal kitchen bbq sauce since it is my favorite dressing/sauce brand.”
What is the best beef for burgers?
Choose about an 80-85% lean ground chuck. You can use a leaner cut of ground beef, but the burgers might be drier. Ground chuck gives great flavor. You can also use ground sirloin.
What is the best way to season a burger?
Although the burger looks complex, it is really very simple. We used pantry staples of chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
Worcestershire sauce enhances the flavor of beef.
And brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness. Don’t skip that step…it really makes a difference.
How to Make BBQ Bacon Burgers
- In a large mixing bowl, gently mix ground beef with the spices and Worchestire sauce. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can cause the burger to be tough instead of tender.
- Form 4-6 large patties with the ground beef. Or shape balls instead if you want to “smash” them down on the griddle like a Smashburger. If you’d like smaller burgers or are making sliders, just form more patties.
- Preheat the grill or griddle to at least 400º Fahrenheit. Once grill has preheated cook burgers 4-5 minutes per side, or until the burgers reach 160º Fahrenheit.
- Top the hamburger patty with a slice of cheese before removing them from the grill.
For bonus points and extra flavor, toast the hamburger buns. It’s so good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you grill burgers with the lid open or closed?
We like to leave the grill lid closed as much as possible. This just makes the oven have a more uniform heat which will help the burgers cook more evenly.
How do you keep burgers from sticking to the grill?
Remember that the easiest way to keep burgers from sticking to the grill is by heating the grill to over 400 degrees before you throw the patties on.
We started doing this a couple years ago and no longer have to use aluminum foil. No more meat sticking to the grill. You get those gorgeous grill lines on your meat and delicious flavor!
How do you know when burgers are done?
The best way to tell if a burger is done is to test the burger temperature. The internal temperature should be cooked to eat least medium doneness or 165° Fahrenheit.
The Best instant read Thermometer
We LOVE our Thermoworks ThermaPen to quickly test meat temperatures. This probe thermometer is AMAZING. Get it here.
Barbecue Burger Toppings
Here’s what we like to load on our burgers:
- cheddar cheese
- bacon
- lettuce
- tomato slice
- barbecue sauce
- french fried onions. I took a shortcut and used store-bought fried onions, but if you have the time, make these homemade crispy onion strings like I do in our lentils & rice recipe. They’re amazing!
Make it a meal.
What should you serve with burgers? Try one of these picnic foods:
Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers
This Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers recipe is packed full of flavor and is one of the juiciest hamburgers I’ve had yet. I love the french fried onions on top!
Servings 4
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck 80-85% lean
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Worchestire sauce
Optional Toppings:
- 4-8 slices cheddar cheese
- sliced tomatoes
- french fried onions (or sliced red onions)
- cooked bacon slices
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
- lettuce
- 4 burger buns
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently mix ground beef with seasonings and Worchestire sauce. Be careful not to overmix.
- Form 4 large patties with the ground beef and set to the side. Or you can make burger "balls" to smash down onto a preheated griddle like we do in the video below.
- Preheat the grill to at least 400º Fahrenheit. Once grill has preheated cook burgers 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature tests 165ºF.
- Once burgers are just about done, top burgers with 1-2 slices of cheese. Continue to cook to allow cheese to melt.
- To assemble burgers, add lettuce to the top of the bottom bun, then a burger, then tomato, onions, barbecue sauce, french fried onions and bacon.
- Place the bun on top of the burger and serve.
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the burgers only (no toppings), with the recipe making 4 large burgers and 1 serving being 1 burger. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2.7mg
GREAT RECIPE
YEEESSSSSSSS
Hi, before the actual instructions of the recipe you say something about putting mayo and bbq sauce in the patties when you make them. But that isn’t listed in ingredients or instructions. Can you please clarify this for me?
Thanks,
Melinda
These burgers were awesome! Came out so juicy and the flavor of the meat was a but spicy but perfect. The bbq sauce and bacon on top were do die for. I used primal kitchen bbq sauce since it is my favorite dressing/sauce brand.