Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger
The ultimate bacon cheeseburger is not about fancy ingredients or complicated technique — it's about executing the fundamentals perfectly. A well-seasoned beef patty with the right fat content, a hard sear that builds a thick crust, crispy bacon, melted American cheese, and a soft toasted bun. Every component earns its place.
Start with ground beef that's 80/20 — 80% lean, 20% fat. Leaner blends dry out during cooking, and fattier blends shrink too much and get greasy. Form the patties slightly larger than the bun (they'll shrink) and press a shallow dimple in the center to prevent puffing. Season generously with salt and pepper on the outside only — never mix seasoning into the meat, as it toughens the texture.
A screaming hot cast iron skillet produces a better crust than a grill. The flat, consistent contact between meat and metal creates an even, deeply browned sear that an open grate can't match. Press the patty down once when it first hits the pan, then don't touch it for three minutes. Flip once, add cheese immediately so it melts from residual heat, and pull it a minute later. Thick-cut bacon, crisped in the oven on a sheet pan, stays flat and uniform. Pile it on with your choice of classic toppings.
Ingredients
- ● 1 pound Ground beef (80/20)
- ● 8 slices Bacon slices
- ● 4 slices Cheddar cheese
- ● 4 buns Burger buns
- ● 4 leaves Lettuce leaves
- ● 1 large Tomato
- ● 1 small Red onion
- ● 8 slices Pickle slices
- ● to taste Ketchup
- ● to taste Mustard
- ● to taste Salt
- ● to taste Black pepper
Instructions
- 1Cook the bacon slices in a pan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- 2Season the ground beef with salt and pepper, and form into 4 equal-sized patties.
- 3Cook the patties in the same pan used for bacon over medium-high heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- 4Add a slice of cheese to each patty during the last minute of cooking to allow it to melt.
- 5Toast the burger buns lightly on the pan.
- 6Assemble the burgers by placing a lettuce leaf on each bun bottom, followed by the cheese-topped patties, bacon slices, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Cap with the bun tops.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 850 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 45g |
| Carbohydrates | 35g |
| Fat | 58g |
