Trailblazer Burger |Cooking With Amanda

The contributor was compensated by Stubbs Legendary Bar-B-Q for her time in developing this recipe and post. All opinions are her own.

Burger season is upon us, guys.

In my House of Hungry Dudes it's always burger season, but we all get a little excited when it stays light later and we can loaf around on the deck and eat burgers hot off the grill.

It's fun to change things up when it comes to cooking out, and while I am ever a fan of things like these Buffalo Turkey Sliders and these Shrimp Burgers, you really can't go wrong with traditional ground beef. Unless you add bacon.

For these Trailblazer Burgers I added bacon in not one place, but two, and this year we are switching all ketchup for Bar-B-Q sauce. Both of these decisions were amazing and I am FOR SURE going to carry them over to my other burger recipes ( Carolina Style Burgers can absolutely handle a Bar-B-Q sauce + bacon twist).

Great burgers require a little finesse, so let's talk about some things. First! Working into your ground beef. If you are very fancy and have a grinder then adding bacon to your ground beef is a cake walk. If you're like me and not quite that fancy, I'm going to make is a cakewalk for you.

You want 1/2 pound of "regular" sliced (so not thick cut) COLD bacon. Cold makes it easier to cut, trust me on this. You can even toss it in the freezer for a few minutes before slicing. You're going to cut the cold bacon crosswise (against the grain) into tiny little strips - as thin as you can manage.

After that you are going to gently work that ½ pound of bacon into a pound of lean ground beef. Not too lean; I've found that 85/15 is right about perfect for grilling. Enough fat to keep things juicy, but not so much that you lose half your burger's volume.

Some grilling tips:

Seasoning is your friend. I like to use Stubb's Beef Spice Bar-B-Q Rub - a little worked into the mix as I make the patties and a dash on top for good measure.
Indent the middle of your patty with your thumb before grilling. This will keep your burger from getting all puffed up and weird in the middle. It's especially important with the added bacon in these Trailblazer burgers because the added content from the bacon can shrink up if you don't shape things right to start.
Clean your grill with an onion!!! Game changer, y'all. Slice an onion in half and as your grill heats up, rub the onion across the grates. Careful, though!
ADD ALL THE BAR-B-Q SAUCE.

You might have noticed that my burger is topped with a fried egg. As the resident breakfast fanatic over here, you know that I think all things are improved with bacon and eggs. This burger is no exception.

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Trailblazer Burger Recipe

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Ingredients

1 pound Lean Ground Beef, (85/15)
1 pound Center Cut Bacon, divided
salt and pepper, or Stubb's Beef Spice Bar-B-Q Rub, to taste
1 medium Onion, very thinly sliced
8 slices Cheese, Mild - white cheddar, gouda, or baby swiss
4 Eggs, optional
4 Sesame Seed Buns
Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce
Lettuce, tomato, and burger fixin's to taste

Directions

Place the lean ground beef in a large bowl. Take half the bacon and cut it against the grain into very thin strips. Work the cut bacon into the ground beef until it's well incorporated. Season to taste and form the meat into 4 patties.
Heat your grill to 450°F according to the grill recommendations. Place the patties on the hot grill and close the lid. Cook 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how well you like your burgers.
Add the cheese, close the lid until it's melted, and then let the burgers rest.
To cook the onions and bacon you can use a cast iron skillet on the grill. Heat the skillet over direct heat and then move the skillet off to the side a little. Add the remaining bacon to the hot skillet. Cook over mostly indirect heat, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel and drain all but about a tablespoon of the bacon grease. (if you are cooking eggs for your burgers reserve another tablespoon)
Add the onions to the skillet and cook over mostly indirect heat until they are soft and caramelized.
If you are adding a fried egg to your burger, add the reserved bacon grease to the hot skillet. Crack an egg onto the grease, cook over mostly indirect heat for about a minute, turn it, and cook for another minute or less.
Assemble your burgers and top them with a liberal amount of Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce.