Bacon burgers with bacon onion balsamic jam: If you’re looking for a new burger recipe, this recipe is IT. Bacon mixed IN your burger. Bacon ON your burger. Does life get any better??
I debated about whether I should share a sweet or a savory recipe with you today. And it wasn’t an easy decision.
Cookies, bars, or burgers? Oh the choices!
But I felt really strongly about you guys needing this bacon burger recipe in your lives. Like, pull-that-bacon-and-ground-beef-out-of-the-freezer-before-you-go-to-work strongly. You’ll regret not getting these bacon burgers with bacon onion balsamic jam on your tables tonight.
OK, maybe if you’re having pizza tonight you won’t regret not having these burgers. But for the love of all things good, don’t let any spring or summer weekend go by without them!
The bacon burgers are infused with bits of finely diced bacon and then it’s topped with nice liberal slice of sharp cheddar that melts itself into the burger.
After you pull these burger behemoths off the grill, you’ll topple them with this other-worldly concoction of slow cooked red onions mixed with [yes more!!] bacon and balsamic vinegar that thickens into a glaze that creates a jammy sauce.
By the end of dinner, you’ll wish you had the chance to rewind and start it all over again.
Darn that lack of time travel thing!Can You Put Raw Bacon In A Burger?
With all of this said, you may be wondering if you can put raw bacon in a burger. The answer is yes.
I had been a little skeptical about if the raw bacon would cook properly but when it comes down to it, chopped raw bacon mixed with raw beef will cook as evenly as the beef does.
If you think of it like how a mix of meat for meatballsor meatloaf(like beef, pork, and veal) cooks altogether, it might make a little more sense. The raw meats blend together when you mix them with the seasonings and meld together beautifully when baked, fried, or grilled.
What to Serve with Bacon Burgers
We served some baked oven fries alongside these bacon burger but frankly, any typical burger side will work here too. Tater tots, ranch potato salad, mac salad, coleslaw would all be great.
And I suppose a heaping mound of grilled veggies or fresh fruit would be nice too if you’re feeling a little guilty about all that bacon.
OR!! Guacamole crashed potatoes! Those crispy, buttery bits and edges of potato topped with guac?! How could you go wrong??
Let me tell you. We’ve found our new favorite burger.
And you can assume that if you’re coming to our house for dinner any time in the spring or summer, these are what we’ll be making for you! Also, you’re going to get these amazing potato buns to hold these burgers and all that incredible bacon jam.
Bacon burgers with bacon onion balsamic jam are the ultimate burger! Bacon IN your burger. Bacon ON your burger. Does life get any better?? The burgers are topped with an easy onion jam made with balsamic vinegar that reduces to a glaze and crispy bacon as well as thick slices of sharp cheddar that melts down into the onion jam and the burger. It's an incredible burger that will quickly become your new favorite.
Ingredients
For the bacon onion balsamic jam:
4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, sliced into ½-inch wide pieces
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into ¼-inch slices
Instructions
To make the jam: Heat a large saute pan (that has a cover) over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until browned but not crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease and then stir in the onions, about ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cover the pan to cook the onions for 2 minutes. Uncover the pan and in a splash of water, scraping the bits off of the bottom of the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon. Recover the pan and cook the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly browned.
After the onions have cooked for 10 minutes, stir in the balsamic vinegar, mustard, and water then return the bacon to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens and is almost completely absorbed, about 2 to 4 minutes (mine definitely took upwards of 4 minutes). At this point, the jam can be covered and refrigerated (you can make it up to 2 days in advance). If using immediately, set it aside in a bowl until ready to use.
To make the burgers: Using a fork, lightly mix the finely diced bacon with the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and ground pepper in a medium bowl until the ingredients form a uniform mixture. Shape the burger mixture into four equal-sized patties, about 1-inch thick.
Cook the burgers on a grill pre-heated to medium-high, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Once you flip the burgers, add the cheese (if the cheese is thinly sliced, give it a minute or two on the second side before adding it). Once cooked to desired doneness, remove the burgers from the grill and set them aside to rest for 5 minutes before adding the topping, placing on the buns, and serving. No ketchup required.
As a member of the Amazon Associate affiliate program, I earn a small percentage from your qualifying Amazon purchases when you click the Amazon links on this page. I'm not informed of who purchases what, just of what products are purchased.
Follow Smells Like Home on Pinterest and click that little Pin button at the top of this recipe card to save this recipe and share with your Pinterest followers!
I can’t wait to make these! It is breakfast time and I am drooling. Thought I would share a fun place where I order my bacon from. http://www.oscarssmokedmeats.com They are in the Adirondacks and I have been buying bacon from them since my late hubby sent me a gift pack when we were dating (yes, most ladies like flowers, me, pork!). I see Rachel Ray talks about them also on her show. I get the irish bacon, applewood, hickory smoked and sometimes some canadian. I will let you know how the burgers turn out!
Oh man, you ladies are killin’ me with this burger! Every time someone makes it, I thing to myself it should be on the menu for the week. Then it isn’t. What’s wrong with me?
On Fridays, I share my favorite food finds in a series called Food Fetish Friday – and I love this post so I’m featuring it as part of today’s roundup (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I’m happy to be following along with your creations…
I just made these burgers tonight as a nice Valentines dinner for my guy and they are amazing! I was skeptical at first because I’m not huge on bacon and I really never liked balsamic vinegar but he likes both those things, so I decided to try them.
Just made this recipe and it is awesome! Great adult burger. We topped off the bun with extra Dijon mustard. Used super soft buns and it just soaked up the balsamic topping. Delightful!!
Recently I was extremely low on money and debts were eating me from all sides! That was UNTIL I decided to make money.. on the internet! I went to surveymoneymaker dot net, and started filling in surveys for cash, and surely I’ve been far more able to pay my bills!! I’m so glad, I did this! – 7aze
saving this recipe for my husband. he’s a bacon addict and would LOVE these!!
I can’t wait to make these! It is breakfast time and I am drooling. Thought I would share a fun place where I order my bacon from. http://www.oscarssmokedmeats.com They are in the Adirondacks and I have been buying bacon from them since my late hubby sent me a gift pack when we were dating (yes, most ladies like flowers, me, pork!). I see Rachel Ray talks about them also on her show. I get the irish bacon, applewood, hickory smoked and sometimes some canadian. I will let you know how the burgers turn out!
OMG!! I am drooling right now! I have been dying to try these since Cooks like a Champion posted them. YUM!!
Sooooo, bacon burger with more bacon on top?
I. Love. It! 😀
Oh man, you ladies are killin’ me with this burger! Every time someone makes it, I thing to myself it should be on the menu for the week. Then it isn’t. What’s wrong with me?
On Fridays, I share my favorite food finds in a series called Food Fetish Friday – and I love this post so I’m featuring it as part of today’s roundup (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I’m happy to be following along with your creations…
This burger is seriously mouth-watering!!!! Oh, my. That bacon onion jam goodness! I think I know what we’re having for dinner ….
Blessings,
Leslie
I just made these burgers tonight as a nice Valentines dinner for my guy and they are amazing! I was skeptical at first because I’m not huge on bacon and I really never liked balsamic vinegar but he likes both those things, so I decided to try them.
For the buns I used your Soft Pretzels recipe.
Just made this recipe and it is awesome! Great adult burger. We topped off the bun with extra Dijon mustard. Used super soft buns and it just soaked up the balsamic topping. Delightful!!
Just made these and they were to die for! Added a thin layer of fig spread…yum!!
Amazing idea!!
loved this so much. I made these into sliders instead and Oh!!!! Thanks for the amazing recipe.
You’re welcome! Thanks for coming back to let me know how they turned out for you. These burgers really are something special!
My kind of burger!
Recently I was extremely low on money and debts were eating me from all sides! That was UNTIL I decided to make money.. on the internet! I went to surveymoneymaker dot net, and started filling in surveys for cash, and surely I’ve been far more able to pay my bills!! I’m so glad, I did this! – 7aze
Can you add tomato and lettuce or better without??
Hi Kathryn! I haven’t ever added either to this burger. It’s pretty fantastic without them, in my opinion!
These are a favorite at my house! My boyfriend frequently comes over and asks me to make them!
Yay! Thrilled to hear this, Hannah!! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review!