The union between tangy barbecue sauce, juicy burgers, and crisp smokey bacon between a toasted bun makes these BBQ bacon burgers worthy of the messy face and fingers. Pile them high with toppings for the best burgers you’ve ever sunk your teeth into!
Why this recipe works
BBQ bacon burgers are a classic, and definitely something everyone will enjoy whether you’re whipping them up for a party or as an easy weeknight dinner. Perfectly seasoned patties get a rub down with garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, hot sauce, and liquid smoke ensuring an explosion of flavor in every bite. Throw in some caramelized red onion, tomato, crisp bacon, and barbecue and you can guarantee everyone will devour them before you have the chance to serve up the sides.
There are plenty of topping options here. The usuals – lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese are a no-brainer but adding crispy crunchy onion rings takes these burgers over the top. Or, you can simply serve them on the side. The sky is the limit when it comes to burger toppings!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
BURGER – We prefer to use 85/15 ground beef for our burger patties, though you can also use 80/20. Relying on a little bit of fat percentage is what helps the burgers stay juicy and tender when cooked. You can use ground sirloin instead of ground beef, but it’s typically leaner and therefore drier when cooked.
TOPPINGS – The toppings all come down to preference, but we would suggest red onion, tomato, cheddar cheese, and of course, barbecue sauce. Other great options include lettuce, pickles, crispy fried onions, or onion rings. You can substitute the cheddar cheese with pepper jack, American, or Monterey jack cheese if desired. If preferred, you can leave the red onion raw instead of sauteeing them in the bacon grease.
How to Make BBQ Bacon Burgers
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat grill to 400 F.
- Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder. Using gloved hands, combine these ingredients with your fingers. Add seasoning to the ground beef.
- Add liquid smoke and hot sauce to the ground beef. Use gloved hands to combine everything together. Divide meat into 4 equal pieces and form into patties. Use your finger to create an indent in the center of each patty.
EXPERT TIP – Creating an indent in the center of each hamburger patty keeps the burger from puffing up in the center.
- Season bacon with Montreal steak seasoning and cook in a skillet or on a flat top grill until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Cook red onion rings in bacon grease until tender.
- Place burgers on the preheated grill, indent side up. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Add cheese slices a couple of minutes before burgers are ready to be removed from the grill.
- Toast buns on the grill after removing the burgers.
- Assemble sandwiches with your favorite condiments and toppings. Don’t forget the barbecue sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
BBQ bacon burgers are best enjoyed right away, but you can easily store the cooked patties in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat them in a 400F oven until warmed through, around 10 minutes or less. Store the patties separately from the buns and other toppings (besides the cheese) to prevent them from getting soggy. Reassemble the burgers with fresh toppings and a bun after reheating.
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned above, BBQ bacon burgers are fantastic on their own with melty cheddar cheese, tender red onion, and thick sliced tomato. However, you can get creative and add just about any kind of toppings you want. Onion rings and crispy fried onions are another popular addition to barbecue bacon burgers because they lend texture and crunch.
Serve your burgers with french fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, jalapeno poppers, onion rings, potato chips, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad… The list goes on and on!
More Related Recipes
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
BBQ Bacon Burgers
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke
- 12 ounces bacon
- Montreal steak seasoning to taste
- ½ red onion sliced into rings
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- bottled barbecue sauce to taste
Optional Toppings
- tomato sliced
- pickles
- lettuce
Things You’ll Need
- Large skillet or flat top grill plate
Before You Begin
- The nutrition facts listed below does not include barbecue sauce. Refer to the back of the individual bottle you choose for serving size and nutrition.
- We are using a grill, however your burgers can be cooked in a skillet or on an indoor grill.
- If the flame on your grill flares up, you can mist it lightly with a spray bottle of water.
- We prefer to use 85/15 ground beef for our burger patties, though you can also use 80/20. Relying on a little bit of fat percentage is what helps the burgers stay juicy and tender when cooked. You can use ground sirloin instead of ground beef, but it’s typically leaner and therefore drier when cooked.
- The toppings all come down to preference, but we would suggest red onion, tomato, cheddar cheese, and of course, barbecue sauce. Other great options include lettuce, pickles, crispy fried onions, or onion rings. You can substitute the cheddar cheese with pepper jack, American, or Monterey jack cheese if desired. If preferred, you can leave the red onion raw instead of sauteeing them in the bacon grease.
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 400 F.
- Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder. Using gloved hands, combine these ingredients with your fingers. Add seasoning to the ground beef.
- Add liquid smoke and hot sauce to the ground beef. Use gloved hands to combine everything together. Divide meat into 4 equal pieces and form into patties. Use your finger to create an indent in the center of each patty.*TIP – Creating an indent in the center of each hamburger patty keeps the burger from puffing up in the center.
- Season bacon with Montreal steak seasoning and cook in a skillet or flat top grill until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Cook red onion rings in bacon grease until tender.
- Place burgers on preheated grill, indent side up. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Add cheese slices a couple minutes before burgers are ready to be removed from the grill.
- Toast buns on the grill after removing the burgers.
- Assemble sandwiches with your favorite condiments and toppings. Don’t forget the barbecue sauce!
Nutrition
Chef Antoine Davis
Latest posts by Chef Antoine Davis (see all)
- Lemon Chicken - December 3, 2024
- Shrimp Egg Rolls - November 28, 2024
- Sous Vide Chicken Breast - November 26, 2024
Leave a Reply