BBQ Bacon Burgers

Juicy BBQ Bacon Burgers topped with caramelized onions, peppers, melted cheese, crispy bacon, and sweet n spicy BBQ sauce.

BBQ Bacon Burgers are a mouthwatering combination of juicy ground beef, crispy bacon, and melted cheese, topped with sweet and spicy BBQ sauce and caramelized onions and peppers.

This recipe provides a delightful balance of flavors and textures, perfect for any cookout or casual dinner.

Storing Uncooked Hamburgers

In the Fridge:

1. Preparation: Place your uncooked burger patties on a plate or a tray.
2. Covering: Cover the plate or tray with cling wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure it’s sealed well to prevent the patties from drying out.
3. Duration: Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

In the Freezer:

1. Wrapping: Wrap each patty individually in cling wrap or aluminum foil. This prevents them from sticking together and makes it easier to separate them when needed.
2. Container: Place the individually wrapped patties in a freezer-safe container or a ziplock bag. Make sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn.
3. Duration: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
4. Labeling: Don’t forget to label the container or bag with the date so you can keep track of how long they’ve been stored.

Storing Cooked Hamburgers

In the Fridge:

1. Preparation: Place the cooked burgers on a plate or tray.
2. Covering: Cover the plate or tray with cling wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring it’s sealed well to maintain moisture.
3. Duration: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

In the Freezer:

1. Cooling: Allow the cooked burgers to cool to room temperature before freezing.
2. Wrapping: Wrap each burger individually in cling wrap or aluminum foil.
3. Container: Place the wrapped burgers in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Remove as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn.
4. Duration: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
5. Labeling: Label the container or bag with the date.

Tips for Reheating

• From Frozen: If you’re cooking frozen raw burgers, add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
• Microwave: Reheat cooked burgers in the microwave, but be sure to do so in short intervals (30 seconds) to avoid overcooking.
• Stovetop: Reheat in a skillet on the stove for a few minutes on each side until heated through.
• Oven: Reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your hamburgers remain fresh and delicious, ready to be enjoyed whenever you crave them.

Equipment to Make Burgers

Grill – Use a grill pan to make these burgers indoors any time of the year – or, prepare on a grill outdoors.

Burger press – Burger presses help make uniform patties that cook evenly. Many home cooks use the palm of their hands to get reasonably even patties. I’ve shared another method in the recipe that requires only a measuring cup to get good results.

Substitutions & Ingredients

Ground Beef – Regular ground beef or ground chuck are both great choices for making burgers. Do not go with lean ground beef as the lack of fat results in a less tasty burger.

Bacon – You can use packaged bacon for the bacon bits and bacon slices. You can also pre-cook diced bacon and sliced bacon instead for better flavour and texture. Use precooked bacon to save time when preparing this meal. If you decide to skip on the bacon bits in the burger, substitute with a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce to get a level of depth and richness that will take your burger over the top.

Cheese – Use deli style sliced cheese for the best melty texture and flavour. Pepper jack and American cheese (what the rest of us know as processed cheese) are used here, but feel free to use what you like best. Add 2 slices of cheese to each patty for an extra cheesy burger.

Buns – Toast the burger buns if desired by placing under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.

Oil – For cooking the caramelized onion and peppers use a neutral flavoured oil or butter.

Brown sugar – The brown sugar aids in caramelizing the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño and gives a sweet flavor to tone down the spice of the jalapeños.

Onion – Use a sweet onion for the best flavour. Yellow or white onions are a good substitute, but you could even go with a red onion.

Jalapeño Pepper – You may seed the jalapeños for less heat- however we recommend keeping the seeds.

Bell Pepper – Try using multiple colours of bell pepper.

BBQ sauce – Use your favourite barbecue sauce here.

Maple syrup – Use real maple syrup here, not table syrup. They aren’t the same.

Looking for More Ground Beef Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite recipes made with ground beef!

The BEST stuffed peppers for weeknight dinners! Ground beef and rice combine with melted monterey jack cheese for a hearty meal!

Love Taco Tuesday? This easy DIY taco dinner board is perfect for your next fiesta! It’s easy to make and perfect for any occasion.

Copycat White Castle Sliders are mini beef patties cooked over a bed of onions, served on small buns with pickles, recreating the iconic taste of White Castle’s original sliders.

How to Make BBQ Bacon Burgers

Yields: 8 Burgers | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 Tablespoons bacon bits
• 4 Pepper Jack cheese slices
• 4 Cheddar Cheese slices
• 8 slices pre-cooked Bacon
• Burger buns

For the Caramelized Onions and Peppers

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 yellow Onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño Pepper, diced
• 3 bell peppers, diced (any colour)

For the Sweet n Spicy Bbq Sauce

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup bbq sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

First, prepare the sweet n spicy bbq sauce. Combine bbq sauce, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup in a bowl and whisk well.

Pour into a saucepan and cook covered over medium/low heat for 10 minutes. (Image 1)

Prepare the caramelized onions and peppers. Heat a frying pan or skillet over medium heat.

Dice the onion, jalapeno, and bell peppers and toss with olive oil, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.

Add to the pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. (Image 2)

Next, prepare the burgers. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or fire up your grill to medium-high).

Combine ground beef, bacon bits, and 3 tbsp of the sweet n spicy bbq sauce in a bowl. Thoroughly mix.

Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to separate meat into 8 uniform sized sections.

Roll each ¼ cup into a ball, then gently press down to flatten into a ½” thick patty. (Image 3)

Lightly spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add burger patties and cook for 4 minutes per side. (Image 4)

Check the internal temperature of the burgers before removing. Cooking times may vary, the burgers should be cooked between 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add a slice of cheese to the patty and cook until melted.

Arrange burgers. Add burger patty onto a bun. Top with caramelized onions and peppers and a slice of bacon. Drizzle with sweet n spicy bbq sauce. Enjoy!