BBQ Bacon Burgers

The union between tangy barbecue sauce, juicy burgers, and crisp smokey bacon between a toasted bun makes these BBQ bacon burgers worthy of the messy face and fingers. Pile them high with toppings for the best burgers you’ve ever sunk your teeth into!

Why this recipe works

BBQ bacon burgers are a classic, and definitely something everyone will enjoy whether you’re whipping them up for a party or as an easy weeknight dinner. Perfectly seasoned patties get a rub down with garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, hot sauce, and liquid smoke ensuring an explosion of flavor in every bite. Throw in some caramelized red onion, tomato, crisp bacon, and barbecue and you can guarantee everyone will devour them before you have the chance to serve up the sides.

There are plenty of topping options here. The usuals – lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese are a no-brainer but adding crispy crunchy onion rings takes these burgers over the top. Or, you can simply serve them on the side. The sky is the limit when it comes to burger toppings!

This is one of my youngest daughter’s favorite weeknight dinners, she’s bacon crazy! It’s also featured in my 30 ground beef dinners ready in 30 minutes roundup along with 29 more quick weeknight recipes.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

BURGER – We prefer to use 85/15 ground beef for our burger patties, though you can also use 80/20. Relying on a little bit of fat percentage is what helps the burgers stay juicy and tender when cooked. You can use ground sirloin instead of ground beef, but it’s typically leaner and therefore drier when cooked.

TOPPINGS – The toppings all come down to preference, but we would suggest red onion, tomato, cheddar cheese, and of course, barbecue sauce. Other great options include lettuce, pickles, crispy fried onions, or onion rings. You can substitute the cheddar cheese with pepper jack, American, or Monterey jack cheese if desired. If preferred, you can leave the red onion raw instead of sauteeing them in the bacon grease.

How to Make BBQ Bacon Burgers

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat grill to 400 F.
2. Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder. Using gloved hands, combine these ingredients with your fingers. Add seasoning to the ground beef.
4. Add liquid smoke and hot sauce to the ground beef. Use gloved hands to combine everything together. Divide meat into 4 equal pieces and form into patties. Use your finger to create an indent in the center of each patty.
   
   EXPERT TIP – Creating an indent in the center of each hamburger patty keeps the burger from puffing up in the center.
   
   
5. Season bacon with Montreal steak seasoning and cook in a skillet or on a flat top grill until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
6. Cook red onion rings in bacon grease until tender.
7. Place burgers on the preheated grill, indent side up. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 5 minutes.
8. Add cheese slices a couple of minutes before burgers are ready to be removed from the grill.
9. Toast buns on the grill after removing the burgers.
10. Assemble sandwiches with your favorite condiments and toppings. Don’t forget the barbecue sauce!

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

BBQ bacon burgers are best enjoyed right away, but you can easily store the cooked patties in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat them in a 400F oven until warmed through, around 10 minutes or less. Store the patties separately from the buns and other toppings (besides the cheese) to prevent them from getting soggy. Reassemble the burgers with fresh toppings and a bun after reheating.

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned above, BBQ bacon burgers are fantastic on their own with melty cheddar cheese, tender red onion, and thick sliced tomato. However, you can get creative and add just about any kind of toppings you want. Onion rings and crispy fried onions are another popular addition to barbecue bacon burgers because they lend texture and crunch.

Fire up an easy side to go with these burgers. Our air fryer corn on the cob, which is ready in about 15 minutes, pairs perfectly with a smoky, saucy burger. You can also serve your burgers with french fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, jalapeno poppers, onion rings, potato chips, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad… The list goes on and on!

More Related Recipes

• Patty Melt
• Smash Burger
• Cheeseburger Sliders
• Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs
• Buffalo Burger
• Taco Burger

Looking for more ground beef ideas? See our collection of 90 best ground beef recipes here.

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