The All American Classic Bacon Cheeseburger

It’s the fourth and final week of Gather Round the Grill here on NeighborFood. So far, we’ve explored Cookout Side Dishes, Cookout Main Dishes, and Cookout Desserts, but there’s still one big, giant elephant in the room we’ve been avoiding. It’s BURGERS! And today we’re starting with an All American Classic: The Bacon Cheeseburger.

Well, friends, the wait is over. This week is all about the beloved burger. In 5 days, you’ll be armed and ready with recipes to satisfy all your cookout guests. I know you don’t want to be stressing out on Memorial Day weekend scouring cookbooks for the perfect burger recipe. You want to be kicking back, enjoying a cold drink, and relaxing with friends. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. 

These Classic Bacon Cheeseburgers should be a part of every cookout!

Let’s talk about the perfect, classic, All American burger.

I know, I know. Everyone’s perfect burger looks a little different. Some like it with ketchup and mustard. Some like it with mayo. Some like Swiss, some like Cheddar. Some smother it an egg, some smother it in onions and mushrooms.

But in my opinion, there are some things every burger should be.

Juicy. Tender. Flavorful. Cheesy.

Always, always, always cheesy.

It totally blows my mind when someone chooses a hamburger over a cheeseburger. These people and I operate on entirely different wave lengths. We might as well be from different planets. In my world, if you have an option between cheese and no cheese, you always choose cheese. Always.

No cookout is complete without these classic Bacon Cheeseburgers!

This is my ultimate classic burger. The secret to keeping it tender and juicy? Using a good fatty beef (80/20 is my go-to), not handling the beef too much when you’re preparing it, and never, I repeat never!, squishing the beef with a spatula while it’s grilling. The goal is to keep all those tasty meat juices in, not squeeze them out!

These burgers are seasoned simply with a little garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper, my go to burger seasoning.

You won’t find any eggs or breadcrumbs here. Save that for the mini meatloaf. Burgers are all about pure, juicy beef.

And cheese. Melted cheese.

Did I mention the necessity of cheese?

Cheddar is the obvious choice, of course, but I love to use multiple cheeses as well. Sharp cheddar with Muenster is to die for.

When it comes to topping a classic burger, you can’t go wrong with a big, fat slice of tomato and a crisp leaf of lettuce. I also like to add a couple rings of red onion for bite.

In my opinion, pickles have no place on a burger, or anywhere near my mouth for that matter. But I suppose that if for some reason you think those vinegar-drenched, shriveled cucumbers are edible, you could put those on there as well.

Finally, a few slices of bacon elevate a cheeseburger from great to OMG, I LOVE AMERICA! I like to cook bacon in the oven, but frying it totally works too. As long as bacon is the result, the method doesn’t really matter.

Grilling the buns is unnecessary, but definitely worth the extra effort.

Everyone needs a recipe for a classic, All American Bacon Cheeseburger!

My perfect burger is finished with a mix of ketchup and mayo (or, if I’m feeling feisty, Big Mac Sauce), and paired with a glass of sweet mint iced tea and a scoop of this creamy mac and cheese on the side. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

What makes up your perfect burger?

Classic Bacon Cheeseburger

Classic Bacon Cheeseburger

Yield: 3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

A juicy cheeseburger stacked high with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion, this is an All American classic!

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1/2 a red onion, sliced in rings
  • 3 leaves of lettuce
  • 3 thick slices of tomato
  • 3 slices cheddar cheese
  • 3 buns

Instructions

  1. Preheat your grill to high heat.
  2. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp or oven bake it. Remove to a plate and allow to drain.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Use your fingers to mix it together. Try not to be overly aggressive here. The less you handle the beef, the more tender it will be.
  4. Shape beef into 3 equal sized patties, the same diameter of the buns you'll be using. Put a small indent in the center of each one (this keeps them from puffing up too much in the middle!)
  5. Place burgers on the grill and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium burgers, and 4-5 for medium well-well done burgers. Try to flip only once if possible, and whatever you do, DO NOT press the burgers down with your spatula. You'll press all those great juices right out of the burger!
  6. When there are about 2 minutes left on the cooking time, add your choice of cheese to the top. To check for doneness, you can slice a small slit in the top. Medium rare burgers should be slightly pink in the middle. Well done burgers should have no pink remaining.
  7. Remove burgers to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute into the meat.
  8. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, red onion, bacon, and your choice of condiments.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 776Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 1689mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 60g

Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.

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23 Comments

  1. Burgers don’t have ketchup. That is gross.
    The classic burger is beef, cheese, lettuce, onion, pickle, tomato, mustard.
    Putting salad dressing or mayo or the aforementioned perversion of ketchup is sick.
    Burgers are from Texas and have mustard.
    Next you will say chili has beans or hot dogs can have ketchup or some other such silliness.

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