She Strengthens

Bacon-Infused Burgers: Elevating the Classic Patty

The Perfect Blend of Flavors

Imagine sinking your teeth into a juicy burger, oozing with melted cheese and crispy bacon. Sounds like a dream, right? By cooking the patty in bacon drippings, you can take your burger game to the next level. In this recipe, we’ll show you how to create a mouthwatering bacon-burger that’s sure to impress.

Gather Your Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (15 to 20 percent fat content)
• 8 bacon slices, cut in half crosswise
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices cheddar, Swiss, or American cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
• Iceberg lettuce
• Sliced tomato
• Sliced pickles
• Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard

Preparing the Patty

Heat your oven to 200°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place a baking sheet on the rack. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into an even 1/2-inch-thick patty, about 1 inch wider in diameter than the hamburger buns. Use your thumb to make a shallow 1-1/2-inch-wide indentation in the center of each patty.

Crispy Bacon and Savory Patties

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat, turning once, until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set it aside. Remove about half of the bacon fat from the pan and set it aside. Season the hamburger patties generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cooking the Patties

Return the pan to medium heat and place 2 of the patties in the pan, indentation-side up. Let them cook undisturbed in the bacon fat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the patties over, place 2 slices of cheese on each, and continue cooking until the patties are just slightly pink in the center for medium and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with paper towels, add the reserved bacon fat, and cook the remaining 2 patties.

Assembling the Bacon-Burger

When all of the burgers are ready, place a patty on each bun bottom, top with 4 of the bacon pieces, garnish as desired, and cover with a bun top. Get ready to indulge in a flavorful burger that will leave you wanting more!