BBQ Bacon Burger

Sometimes you want a juicy burger, you know? Piled high with bacon, cheese and all the fixins. You want a  BBQ Bacon Burger. What makes this one so unique? The hickory-smoked bacon-wrapped onion rings. You heard me. BACON ONION RINGS. Along with spicy cheddar jack cheese, BBQ sauce, and quick-pickled cucumber chips—this is burger nirvana, folks.

This post has been sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When nothing but a big, juicy bacon-topped cheeseburger will do, this barbecue bacon burger is the recipe.

It’s everything you want a cheeseburger to be, a decadent, meaty all-beef patty with bacon-wrapped onion rings, melty cheese, tangy pickles, and smoky sweet bbq sauce.

It’s seriously the best bbq bacon burger we’ve ever had.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• 80/20 ground beef ensures a juicy, tender hamburger patty.
• Bacon-wrapped onion rings – they’re not what you think. They’re better.
• Spicy-oozy pepper jack cheese melting over the patty.
• House-made pickles.
• Barbecue sauce adds smoky sweet flavors that tie every other part of this burger together.

I used my homemade BBQ sauce and quick-pickled cucumber chips for this barbeque bacon burger recipe.

They’re both straightforward to make and can be made several days ahead. You can also use your favorite store brands if you’re pressed for time (no hard feelings).

IMO, the best part of these burgers is the bacon-wrapped onion rings. They are deliciously unexpected and a real crowd-pleaser, but they do take about an hour to cook, so this is where you need to start for this bacon burger recipe.

Unlike many recipes using frozen onion rings, I use sweet Vidalia onions sliced into thick rounds. There’s no crusty breading (which wouldn’t do well anyway because they’re wrapped in bacon.

You’ll need one slice of bacon per onion ring.

Wrapping the onions rings with bacon

1. Slice the Vidalia onions into rings, about ½” to  ¾” thick.
2. Hold a piece of Wright® Brand Hickory Bacon with both hands and gently stretch it until it’s about 18″-20″ long.
3. Wrap the bacon slice around the onion ring to overlap the previous edge by about ¼”.
4. Continue to wrap the onion until it’s completely covered, then secure it with a toothpick.

Cooking bacon onion rings

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to save on mess).
2. Arrange a wire rack over the foil. (The rack is essential because it elevates the bacon allowing it to cook through without burning.
3. Transfer the bacon-wrapped onion rings to the wire rack.
4. Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. This is low enough to cook the bacon and onions without burning while crisping them perfectly.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, flip the bacon onion rings and cook for 25 minutes. (They need to be turned; otherwise, the bottom will be soggy, while the top will be crisp).
6. Brush the onion rings with barbeque sauce and return them to the oven.
7. TURN ON THE BROILER and broil for about 2-3 minutes, or until the BBQ sauce takes on some color and fuses to the bacon.

I have tasted all the components of this bbq bacon burger recipe on their own, and while they are individually outstanding, let’s be honest…it’s the bacon onion rings that steal the show.

I like to form the burger patties while the bacon cooks; everything is ready simultaneously.

Pro-Tips for the juiciest burgers

• Use 80/20 ground chuck. It has more fat. More fat = more moisture, and therefore, the burgers will stay juicy.
• Keep the burgers a manageable size, about 1/4 pound each. If someone wants a half-pound burger, stack ’em.
• The patties don’t have to be perfectly round — in fact, they shouldn’t be. You want those craggy edges because they’ll create CRUST — which is essentially flavor. Form the burgers into a ball and smash them with the flat bottom of a frying pan until they’re about ¾” thick.
• Use the back of a round measuring tablespoon to create a divot in the center of the patty. This is important because the steam created when grilling the burgers will expand. By making that divot, you compensate for the natural expansion, and the burgers will be uniformly flat instead of domed like a football stadium. (Note: if you have large hands, you can make the divot with your thumb — my hands are freakishly small, so that doesn’t work for me).
• Stick with simple seasonings. All you need is salt and pepper on these patties because the flavor of the Wright® Brand Hickory Bacon with the Vidalia onion and BBQ sauce creates a harmonious flavor bomb for the burgers. Please don’t overdo it with other spices.

If you’re a grill master, you probably don’t need my advice on grilling burgers the way you like them. But these tips are for pros and novices alike.

Grilling juicy BBQ bacon burgers

• Heat the grill to medium-high heat (about 425°F to 450°F); that’s enough to sear and crust the edges.
• These burgers won’t take long to get to a perfect medium rare, usually 3-4 minutes per side, but to be sure, use a meat thermometer {affiliate link}. 
• Be sure NOT TO JOSTLE OR PRESS the burgers with your spatula. Jostling will ruin those perfect grill marks, and pressing the burgers will let the moisture and juices leak out.
• During the last minute of cooking, place a slice of cheese over each patty to melt and get those burger buns on the grill to toast until golden brown.

Ok, this is the moment of truth. The moment when those bacon-wrapped onion rings, flame-grilled burgers, BBQ sauce and tangy pickle chips all come together. I know your mouth is watering… mine is too.

Build the ultimate BBQ bacon burger

1. Place one (or two) juicy, cheese-topped burger patties on the lower half of the toasted bun.
2. Top liberally with tangy pickle chips.
3. Add two or three bacon onion rings to the burger (you can do more, but keep in mind — you’ve got to get this thing IN YOUR MOUTH. Unless your jaw unhinges like a cobra).
4. Drizzle on extra BBQ sauce and top with the other toasted bun. 
5. Now… EAT.

Variations:

This barbeque bacon burger is perfect, but if you want to switch things up, here are a few suggestions and optional toppings.

• Instead of Pepperjack, try Cheddar cheese, American, Swiss, Havarti, Muenster or another good melting cheese.
• For a stronger, bolder flavor, add blue cheese crumbles.
• Add lettuce and tomato to the burger for freshness.
• If you want to season your hamburger meat with anything, try a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce with salt and pepper. It won’t overpower the bacon burgers and adds another layer of umami.
• If you don’t have a grill, use a cast iron skillet to pan-sear the bbq bacon cheeseburger.

FAQ’s

A two-hander

I should warn you that this is a two-handed eating affair. You’ll also want to hold the BBQ bacon burger over the plate (to catch anything that might unwittingly escape) and attack this sammie with GUSTO.

The flavor

The smoked flavor of Wright® Brand Hickory Bacon is exceptional, especially wrapped around those sweet Vidalia onion rings.

Combined with the juicy grilled burger, melty-oozy (slightly spicy) cheese, sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and those brined quick pickled cucumbers—it’s the perfect bite.

Don’t ruin your favorite shirt

I advise a napkin tucked into your collar and short-sleeved shirts for this meal, as you’ll likely have some juices and sauce drip down your arms while eating. You’re welcome.

What to serve with BBQ bacon burgers

• Bacon and Egg Potato Salad
• Coleslaw
• French Fries
• Baked Beans from Scratch
• Kettle Chips
• Antipasto Pasta Salad

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