Bacon Cheeseburger

Often considered a summertime staple, I find myself grilling cheeseburgers year-round. When I do, my favorite topping isn't ketchup, mustard, or a crisp dill pickle. It's bacon.

With bacon both in the burger and on it, my bacon cheeseburgers are more memorable than anything ordered out, and best part is the entire meal is prepared on the grill.

How to Make the Perfect Bacon Cheeseburger

For the juiciest burger possible, the use of ground chuck with an 80/20 lean meat to fat ratio is a must. I like to add chopped bacon to the mix, which renders during the cooking process, ensuring each bite is tender and juicy.

Diced onion and Worcestershire sauce are easy ways to add sweetness, texture, and complex umami flavor in every bite. You can add salt and pepper to the ground beef while you are mixing in the bacon pieces, but I prefer to generously coat the finished, uncooked patties, as it helps form a more flavorful crust when the burgers hit the grill grates.

The Components of the Best Bacon Cheeseburger

A bacon cheeseburger is only as good as the sum of its parts. Let’s break down the burger trinity, cheese, bacon, and the bun.

The Cheese:

• Sharp cheddar cheese is my go-to cheese topping.
• Use square slices that are slightly larger than the patties.
• I always use two slices of cheese and orient them offsetting 45 degrees. When stacked, they form an 8 point star. This allows the cheese to equally cascade around all sides of the burger when it melts.

The Bacon:

• Since you already using the grill for your patties, you should use it for your bacon too!
• Grill the bacon over direct medium heat, 350°F to 450°F, no more than 2 minutes a side. Double the grilling time for crisper bacon.
• With its fast cook time, it's a good idea to stay by the grill when the bacon is on. The rendering fat can easily create a flare-up necessitating attention.
• Store the bacon on a wire rack over a paper towel and tent with aluminum foil.
• If you're really into bacon you can even subscribe to a bacon of month club, which is not a bad idea in my book.

The Bun:

• Brioche is a must. This soft bun enriched with butter is the perfect accompaniment to these patties.
• Needing just under a minute on the grill, a toasted bun adds more texture with every bite. It's an easy "burger enhancement" and something I do every time I make burgers.

Classic Bacon Cheeseburger Swaps, Substitutions, and Add Ons

Adding bacon to a cheeseburger is the starting point for even more topping ideas. Here are a few way to jazz up your grilled patties:

• Fry up an egg! The runny yolk breaks open under the pressure of the bun—that’s the only “condiment” you’ll need.
• Want to skip the cheese? A grilled pineapple ring adds a sweet bite, perfectly complimenting the salty strips of bacon.
• Even though cheddar is my cheese of choice, a bacon cheeseburger can shine with blue cheese crumbles or a thick slice of fresh mozzarella.
• For condiments, skip the traditional ketchup and mustard and go straight to BBQ sauce. Sweet and tangy, BBQ sauce is all I need to complete my grilled feast.

The Best Grilling Techniques

 It’s always a good idea to set up a two-zone fire when grilling. It’s where one side of the grill is hotter than the other.

On a gas grill, this means an area where a burner is off. On a charcoal grill, it is an area with no briquettes under the cooking grate. You will grill burgers over direct medium-high heat, 400°F to 500°F, but the areas of indirect heat are ideal for placing a burger in case of excessive flare-ups. If you need some extra tips and tricks for grilling check out our guide on How to Grill the Best Burger.

More often than not, hamburgers cook to an internal temperature of 155°F. (You can use a thermometer to check the internal temp of your patties, if needed).

For a 1/3 pound beef patty, this can take a while, which is why it is essential to grill with the lid down. Doing so allows radiant heat to aid in the cooking process and is especially important for melting the cheese. Work with the grill and not against it.