This is the type of burger you’re going to want to get messy with. Grab a bib and lather this one up with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 slices of applewood smoked bacon or your favorite thick-cut bacon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 lb. ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 4 hamburger buns
- 8 slices cheddar cheese or your favorite cheese
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 head green leaf lettuce
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
Brown Sugar Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place a large cooling rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and chili powder to make your brown sugar rub. Coat evenly to one side of bacon with the rub.
- Bake until bacon is crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.
Burgers
- Preheat the outdoor gas grill to high heat (450°F). If using a charcoal grill, arrange coals to one side of the grill to create direct (high heat) and indirect (low heat) cooking areas.
- Form beef into 4 patties, about 3/4” think and circular in shape. Using your thumb, place a small indentation in the center of each patty.
- Coat patties evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Let patties sit at room temperature until ready to grill, about 20 minutes.
- Place patties on grill into direct heat and sear until brown and crispy on bottom, about 2-4 minutes.
- Flip and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Move to indirect heat (charcoal) or turn down heat to medium heat (gas grill) and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Place 2 slices of cheese on each patty, cover until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
- Grill buns on low heat until toasted, about 1 minute.
- Remove patties and buns from the grill.
- Spread BBQ sauce (or mayo mixture) on the bottom bun.
- Stack lettuce, onion, tomato, and patty on bun.
- Top the patty with the bacon.
- Finally, pour a drizzle of BBQ sauce over bacon and burger, top with bun and serve. Enjoy!
