Bacon Burger

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To make a delicious bacon burger, add ground bacon to the beef. It makes the patties incredibly juicy and flavorful!

You can go for a 50/50 ratio, but I prefer to add 4 ounces of bacon for each pound of ground beef.

Two bacon burgers topped with fried eggs.

I started making these burgers after transitioning to a low-carb diet in 2011. Suddenly, with no bun, the burger became the star of the show, and I wanted it to be as flavorful and juicy as possible.

I make burgers often. A few of my favorite recipes are broiled burgers, grilled burgers, and baked burgers. They are all excellent. But if you want to make the ultimate burger, mix ground bacon into the meat. It makes for an incredibly flavorful and juicy burger.

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Ingredients
Variations
Bacon Burger Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Burger Recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make a bacon burger. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Bacon: Use your favorite brand. You'll need 4 ounces, which is half a standard 8-ounce package.
Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef (85/15). I find that leaner than that is too dry, even with the addition of bacon.
Seasonings: I almost always use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes.

Variations

You can substitute three cloves of minced fresh garlic for the powder.
Experiment with different spices. Some spices I've enjoyed include dry mustard, chili powder, dried thyme, and cumin. You can use a teaspoon of any additional spice or herb with the exception of cumin - this spice is potent, so add just half a teaspoon.

Bacon Burger Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

You start by cutting the bacon into pieces.

Process the bacon pieces in your food processor until it's finely ground.

Combine the ground bacon, ground beef, and seasonings.

A bowl with ground beef, chopped bacon, and spices.

Form the mixture into patties. Make a dimple in the center of the burgers to help them retain their shape.

Making a dimple in the center of the burgers.

Cook the burgers over medium heat until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side.

Cooking the burgers in a cast-iron skillet.

Expert Tips

You can go for a 50/50 ratio, mixing 8 ounces of ground beef with 8 ounces of ground bacon. But I like to keep things a bit less fatty and salty (though still delicious!) by mixing 4 ounces of bacon into a pound of ground beef.
After cutting the bacon into pieces, it's helpful to freeze them briefly. This makes it easier for the food processor to chop them. They only need 15-20 minutes or so in the freezer.
You can par-cook the bacon in the microwave to ensure it becomes fully cooked. In this method, there’s no need to chop and freeze it. Place the four bacon strips on two paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Cover them with two more paper towels. Microwave for three minutes, allow to slightly cool, and then chop and mix the par-cooked bacon into the ground beef.

Recipe FAQs

Should I add breadcrumbs or an egg?

There's no need for any type of filler (such as breadcrumbs) or binder (egg) in these tasty burgers. Simply mix the ground beef and bacon, add the seasonings, shape into patties, and pan-fry.

How should I top a bacon burger?

Toppings can include smoked cheddar cheese (my personal favorite), a fried egg, bacon, or avocado. Or all of the above!

Can you put raw bacon in a burger?

Yes. But if you do, you should cook the patties until they're cooked through. If you prefer your burgers medium-rare, you should cook the bacon and crumble it before mixing it into the ground beef.

The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F, which ensures that the bacon is fully cooked, too.

Serving Suggestions

These delicious burgers make the perfect low-carb meal - no bun needed. See the photos? That's how I usually serve them. Sometimes, I add sriracha mayo.

Unless you want a bun, of course, such as cloud bread or 90-second bread. You can also put a bacon burger inside a lettuce wrap.

As for side dishes, these burgers are excellent with fries. I often serve them with jicama fries or zucchini fries.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze these burgers for up to three months.