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The Best Bacon Cheeseburger

Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburgers are a summer time staple, and always a welcomed dinner on those hot summer days. Hamburgers can be as simple or as loaded as you desire, and they have a wonderful versatility in how they can be dressed, making them a crowd friendly meal.

Our family favorite, no contest, is bacon cheeseburgers. The flavor of this famous combination of hamburger and bacon with cheese; adorned with lovely fresh vegetables, is unbeatable in our opinion. They can be enjoyed with the simple, traditional squeeze of only ketchup; or finished with your favorite combination of condiments and sauces.

Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger
Bacon cheeseburgers are iconic summer dinners

Believe it or not, the flavor of burgers can vary quite a lot. Everything from the choice of beef patties and cheeses used, to the sauces, dressings, and the style of bun will change the flavor of the simplistic hamburger.

Bacon is one of the most famous and well loved additions to burgers, and brings a deep, smoky flavor that compliments the beef patties. Fresh or caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, tomato slices, and crisp lettuce are also common staples of the delicious cheeseburger.

Home Grilled Bacon Cheesebuger
This hamburger holds together in your hands with minimum drip!

What is a bacon cheeseburger made of?

A traditional bacon cheeseburger is made from a grilled seared beef patty, strips of crispy bacon, a slice or two of cheddar cheese, and perhaps a mess of caramelized onions. Traditional burgers do not have extra condiments like mayo or mustard; the only thing you may find on a classic burger made in the traditional way is a dollop of ketchup.

Where was the original bacon cheeseburger made?

Lansing, MI is the birthplace of this iconic combination. In 1963 the chairman of restaurant chain A&W, Dave Mulder, had the brilliant idea to add some bacon strips to a cheeseburger. The world never looked back and the tasty idea was quickly adopted by restaurants everywhere.

Bacon Cheeseburger
We are using Brioche hamburger buns by Franz. They toast nicely and hold together fine.

What is the best bun for burgers?

The selection of the bun is largely personal when building your burger. Most commonly you will see soft sesame seed buns, or simple plain buns in your grocery stores. But, these burger buns are very weak in texture and tend to fall apart easily making a mess of your experience. We are discussing some of our favorite bun options and why we love them.

Ciabatta rolls are a strong, Italian bun that has a thick crust which will hold all of your burger fixings, and however many beef patties you want to enjoy. The texture of these rolls is strong and hearty, so they will fill you up. Ciabatta also has a delicious flavor that brings the burger up a notch and lands it squarely in the class of ‘fancy burgers’.

Brioche buns are very similar to the strong texture of ciabatta, but they have a soft crumb that doesn’t require quite as much strength to chew. This is usually our families choice when making bacon cheeseburgers at home because they toast beautifully and hold together well.

Pretzel rolls are another delicious choice for a burger bun. The rich flavor and strong texture lends to a decadent burger with plenty of satisfying chew. The beautiful, stark colors of pretzel buns also create a show stopping burger.

More common options include potato rolls, onion rolls, and sweet yeasted dough buns. These options are easy to find, universally pleasing, and build a classic burger that everyone will love.

Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger
Start with cooked bacon strips and cheese melted on the grill over perfectly cooked hamburger patties.

What is the best way to cook bacon for cheeseburger?

The key to a delicious bacon burger is a selection of good quality, crispy bacon strips. Organic, nitrate free, and thick cut are what you want to look for in bacon. The way the bacon is prepared will also lend itself to the flavor of your burger. Applewood smoked will be sweeter than a hickory smoked bacon, while a peppered bacon will add some extra spice.

The bacon needs to be fully cooked before adding to your burger patty as it is a finishing dressing. Cook the bacon in a skillet on your stove or grill top, and set it aside until the beef patties are cooked and ready to be assembled.

When the patties are fully cooked, place the strips of bacon over each patty along with a slice or two of cheese. Close the grill lid and allow the cheese to melt, you can also toast the buns at this point if you would like.

What are some of the best burger toppings?

The classic burger toppings of cheese, sliced tomato, and a leaf of lettuce are well loved and always a welcomed sight for burger building. But, some of the lesser known toppings can really make your bacon cheeseburger stand out and bring it into the class of extraordinary eats.

  • Caramelized onions are a knockout topping on the grilling scene, and bring burgers into a decadent experience with rich flavor
  • Avocado can be used as a creamy substitute to mayo and brings a scrumptious flavor that pairs well with bacon
  • Pickles of all kinds will bring your burger into a complex flavor realm with pleasing crunch
  • Jalapeno peppers and other chilis, both fresh and pickled, will add some heat
  • Mustards like dijon, honey, whole grain and others can add a complex and vibrant layer of flavor
  • Siracha sauces, homemade ‘big mac’ sauces, and mayo based dressings finish burgers with a creamy, spicy note
  • BBQ sauces are always a popular choice for bacon burgers
  • Red onions are wonderful to enjoy raw and will bring a noticeable flavor punch to your burger
  • Grilled pineapple is a non traditional topping that you could add to your burger
  • Getting creative with the cheese will change up your experience. Goat cheese, Swiss, smoked gouda, and manchego are a few delicious options to try
  • Make it a breakfast style burger by adding a fried egg

What goes with a bacon cheeseburger?

Hamburgers are an American tradition; like apple pie and hot dogs. The delicious and decadent bbq scene has no shortage of scrumptious sides to choose from for your next cookout. Here are some of our favorite ideas.

Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger
Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger
Yield: 1 serving

Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

A Droolingly delicious home grilled bacon cheeseburger makes a delightful summer meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 sirloin hamburger patty
  • 2 slices cooked bacon
  • 1 thick slice medium sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 slice onion
  • 1 leaf Kale
  • 1 slice tomato
  • 3 thinly sliced pickles
  • 1 Tablespoon sriracha aioli sauce
  • 1 hamburger buns

Instructions

  1. Pan fry the bacon ahead and drain it. Set aside
  2. Heat your grill to 375 to 400 depending on your grill
  3. Meanwhile prepare your cheese, and veggies by cutting and slicing as needed
  4. Place your burger patty on the grill and cook until the blood rises to the top
  5. Flip your burger patties and cook another 5 to 10 minutes until thoroughly browned but NOT burned
  6. In the last few minutes of cooking add the cheese slice to the top of the hamburger patty and cook until melted
  7. Toast your burger buns on the grill with the burgers (for the best flavor) or broil lightly in the oven until golden brown
  8. Serve buffet style. Everyone can add whatever they like to their burger

Here is how to assemble our favorite hamburger:

  1. Spread the buns with Sriracha Aioli Sauce on both the top and bottom
  2. Lay the cheese burger on the bottom bun
  3. Lay the bacon on the melted cheese
  4. Layer the tomato, onion and top with the kale leaf
  5. Set the bun top over all and eat it!

Nutrition Information

Yield

1

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 946Total Fat 42gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 216mgSodium 2717mgCarbohydrates 80gFiber 7gSugar 15gProtein 63g

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How To Make The Best Home Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger-Pin Image
Home grilled burgers are a favorite summer dish, add bacon and cheese and your can’t get any better. Our recipe is simple, juicy and creates mile high smoky bacon burgers.

Katerina

Sunday 5th of July 2015

OMG I am drooling here! It looks so juicy and delicious!

homemadefoodjunkie

Tuesday 7th of July 2015

This is a really outstanding burger Katerina!

Jessy @ The Life Jolie

Sunday 5th of July 2015

I'm loving the addition of the Sriracha Aioli! This is making me hungry for a burger and it's only 8:30am!

homemadefoodjunkie

Sunday 5th of July 2015

Jolie, the Sriracha Aioli is just perfect with this bacon cheeseburger. I hope you try it!

LydiaF

Friday 3rd of July 2015

I love my cheese to be melted the same way. It just tastes better!

homemadefoodjunkie

Sunday 5th of July 2015

Yes Lydia! We love this ooey gooey cheesy burger!

KC the Kitchen Chopper

Friday 3rd of July 2015

The Hubby and I have been "hankerin' " for a burger. This one should do it.

homemadefoodjunkie

Sunday 5th of July 2015

I hope you love it KC!

Karen Patten

Friday 3rd of July 2015

Just in time for the 4th!

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