Grill/Barbecue
Incognito Bacon Cheeseburgers
- Serves 6 (5-6 oz. burgers)
Author Notes
Burgers are all about great ingredients treated properly. I've found that the best burger is made with a combination of freshly ground chuck and sirloin. I'm not talking about a package of ground beef from the grocery store, that meat is compacted and "sticky". The best results are achieved when you grind whole cuts of meat yourself at home. This recipe also includes cooked bacon that is run through the meat grinder and mixed in with the ground beef. This provides extra flavor and moisture. - Tony S —Tony S
Test Kitchen Notes
This is a flavorful burger that's carefully constructed. I was skeptical about 7 strips of bacon adding a lot of flavor to 2 pounds of meat, but you can definitely taste the bacon. The mix of sirloin and chuck is nice, and grinding the meat yourself doesn't require that much extra effort and is oddly satisfying. I love the technique of sprinkling the seasonings over the meat on a baking sheet and gently tossing together. I put my meat in the freezer for a bit before grinding it because it was so hot out, and I ground the meat twice for a finer texture -- I might try grinding it only once if I were to make these again. - Merrill —The Editors
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 pounds
Chuck Roast
-
1/2 pound
Sirloin Steak
-
6-8
Strips Bacon
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1 1/2 teaspoons
Kosher Salt
-
1/4 teaspoon
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
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1/4 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
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1/4 teaspoon
Onion Powder
-
6-7
Slices Cheddar Cheese
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Classic Hamburger Fixings- slices of onion, tomato, pickle, and iceburg lettuce
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6
Hamburger Buns
Directions
- Cook bacon until crispy, reserve.
- Cut chuck roast and sirloin into cubes small enough to run through a meat grinder or food processor. Trim any silver skin but leave all of the fat.
- Run beef and bacon through the small grind plate of meat grinder. If using a food processor, process beef and crumbled bacon in batches by pulsing until you reach desired consistency.
- Thinly spread beef/bacon mixture out on a large surface and evenly sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Gently mix beef/bacon mixture together to ensure even distribution. Grab 5-6 oz. portions and gently pat into the diameter desired. Place on a cutting board or cookie sheet and make small indentions into the middle of the burgers with your fingertips. (this step prevents the burgers from puffing in the middle)
- Prepare grill to hottest setting possible and grill burgers for 2-3 minutes on first side. Flip, top with cheese, and grill for another 2-3 on the second side for medium. Add another minute on second side for medium-well.
- If desired, grill cut side of buns then top your burgers and enjoy.
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