Y’all need to make this smashed bacon double cheeseburger recipe, friends!
For my money, this is probably the best double cheese burger out there, because: bacon. And smashed burgers are the best, especially if you’re not a fan of grilling or you don’t have a grill.
If you’d like to go all-in and make your own buns, you may want to give these soft potato buns a try, or make my grits bread into buns. Super good!
I have other epic burger recipes for you to try, too, so check them out, including the Very Awesome Epic Breakfast Burger. And for smashed burger fans, you will want to make my BBQ Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Lacquered Bacon!
For ease of browsing, you can find all my burger recipes in one place, too. Thanks for visiting, and enjoy!
Watch my best smash burger recipe web story here.
This was really good. I loved having the grilled onions in between the burger patties. It seems to keep the burgers nice and juicy.
Elly Smisek on Pinterest
A Burger You Don’t Have to Unhinge Your Jaw to Eat
I like a good burger every once in awhile. I’ve made a couple of epic burgers in my time including my Got to be NC Burger, the Bloody Mary Meatloaf Burger, and even a copycat Big Mac that also happens to be a great Bison Burger recipe.
As tasty as these burgers were–and boy were they!–I didn’t want to eat more than one, or maybe two over the course of a few days. After that, I was fine living in my burger-limited world.
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But today? Today I am bringing you a burger of such deliciousness, that I have eaten three of them in the past two days, one for breakfast this morning. Breakfast, people!
I love being able to eat a burger without having toppings dripping out all over the place and I try to wedge a multi-layered monster burger into my face.
Why This Recipe Works
What sets this particular bacon cheeseburger apart from the rest? I shall tell you, and then you can decide for yourself if you’d like to make this recipe.
If you’re drooling by the time you finish reading the description, a smashed burger is definitely for you!
- Caramelized onions: lend a savory sweetness and finger-licking goodness to the burger. You may also substitute onion jam for the caramelized onions
- Brioche buns toasted in a little bacon fat adds texture and smoky flavor to the bun
- Melty, melty American cheese–arguably a good burger’s best friend. 2 slices per burger!
- Perfectly cooked bacon–not too crispy, but crisp-chewy so it doesn’t shatter when you bite into your burger
- A burger sauce made to enhance and not hide the flavor of your beef
- Customizable: once you have the basics down, feel free to pile on your favorite toppings. But please try them at least once just the way the recipe is written.
- I highly suggest adding a bit of my bacon jam to your burger, either mixed into the ground beef or as a condiment spread on top. So much flavor!
If you know you want to make this burger, you can skip right to the recipe.
And I also have a favor to ask:
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What is a smashed burger?
First time making smash burgers and they were delicious! This will definitely be a regular in our house!
Pinner Shelly
I don’t have a Smashburger restaurant near me, but I have eaten smashed burgers before. I’m pretty sure you have, too.
If you’ve ever ordered a burger at a diner, and your burger comes thin with crispy edges, then you’ve had a smashed burger.
I practiced my technique a few times to make sure I could tell you guys how to do it.
And then I got cooking, because there’s only so much research you can do before you have to go for it. Besides, I was hungry.
Why smash a burger?
There are lots of reasons for smashing your burger patty before building the ultimate bacon double cheeseburger:
- Tons of flavor from all the Maillard reactions that happen when a burger is smashed against a searing hot piece of metal.
- Fast cooking means the burger gets to your mouth in record time.
- Since there’s more surface area and a higher crust-to-interior ratio, a smashed burger is all about the savory umami goodness.
But Are They Juicy?
As long as you smash them one time right when they hit the griddle and then leave them alone, resisting the urge to smash them again when you turn them, they retain a reasonable amount of juiciness, which I upped with a couple of pieces of super melty American cheese and a nice layer of caramelized onions between the two patties.
They’re not as juicy as a big fat burger, but what you lose in juiciness is more than made up for in crispy, savory, meaty goodness.
Plus, it is really pretty fun to smash a ball of ground meat super flat. So there’s that.
Trust me, the bottom line is that you will want to make a smashed double cheeseburger or 7 for yourself.
Excellent recipe, they turned out amazing I’ll definitely be making these again!
Pinner Jon
And now, let’s make some of these guys, shall we?
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best bacon cheeseburgers you’ll ever have. And if I’m wrong, you know where to find me!
- ground chuck: For smashed burgers, I really do recommend 80/20 ground beef. You need that fat to maintain juiciness in such a thin burger. You can possibly get away with 85/15 if you use a little oil in your pan. But try 90/10 or 93/7, and you’ll definitely want to add some minced raw bacon into the mix to add in some extra fat
- salt & pepper: You’ll need this for both sprinkling on the patties and making the caramelized onions. And you’ll need some black pepper for the burger sauce. You won’t need salt though, because the Worcestershire has that covered!
- olive oil: You can substitute any oil here, really. Since you’re caramelizing at very low temperatures, you don’t have to be too concerned about the smoke point of your oil. You can even use bacon fat and/or butter. Or save a few calories and just toast the buns in a dry pan, in a toaster oven, or under your broiler
- sweet onions: I love Vidalias and use them whenever they’re in season. If you can’t find Vidalias, worry not. Use any onions labeled “sweet.” And if all you have or can find are “storage onions,” go ahead and use those, but add a tablespoon or so of sugar or balsamic vinegar to your pan to help sweeten them up just a touch
- Mayonnaise: My preference is Duke’s, because I’m from the south. Use your favorite mayo, but don’t substitute a sweeter one like Kewpie or a “salad dressing” like Miracle Whip. Those are too sweet for the sauce
- Worcestershire sauce: brings so much flavor and mixes really well with the burger juices to provide a simple yet magical sauce. Seriously.
- American cheese: for ultimate meltability. You can substitute your favorite sliced cheese (or slice your own favorite), but American cheese on a burger is classic
- Bacon and bacon fat: You can’t very well have a bacon burger without bacon. Use a nice thick-cut bacon that stands up to 2 patties worth of beef. I call for 3 strips per burger, but I will not send the burger police after you if you use more or less or even leave it off entirely. You’ll still have a Most Excellent double cheeseburger, regardless
- Brioche burger buns: I bought brioche buns at the grocery. They are a bit rich, so if you’d like to use a leaner bun, grab “regular” burger buns, wither with or without seeds. Or you can make your own burger buns if you’re feeling very DIY. You can try this really solid and easy basic burger bun recipe from King Arthur flour or go for something a little fancier with homemade pretzel buns or even oversized homemade English muffins.
How to Make a Double Cheeseburger
NOTE: The photo shows how I made a different smashed burger, so you won’t see the onions or cheese on both patties. Still, the procedure for pressing the burgers is the same.
- Caramelize the onions, low and slow, until deeply golden brown.
- Cook the bacon until crisp-chewy. You don’t want it to shatter when you bite into it.
- Toast your burger buns lightly in a bit of bacon fat.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together.
- Weigh out your ground beef into 2 oz balls.
- In a hot (NOT nonstick), dry skillet, place 2 of the “meatballs,” and press them down firmly with a large spatula or bacon press.
- Thin out the edge by pressing down even more.
- Let cook for 2 minutes or so.
- Scrape the burger off the pan and flip to cook an additional minute.
- Add cheese to both patties and some caramelized onions to one of them.
- Stack the two patties together with the onions in the middle.
- Assemble your burgers, and devour.
My husband said these were the best burgers I’ve ever made! He even liked the mayo sauce better than ketchup.
Reader Stephanie
Equipment You’ll Need
You will need to make sure you have a good surface to cook on–something the burger will stick to in order to build up a crust. You don’t want manufactured non-stick here. We want the burger to basically adhere to the cooking surface until it’s ready to let go!
Plus, you need a good burger smasher and scraper. What I linked to comes as a set, but you can also search individually to find a combination that works best for you.
I make almost all my smashed burgers (and a bunch of other things) in this Lodge 12" cast iron skillet. It's heavy, which is great for smashed burgers. It holds heat and allows the burgers to cook evenly.
Plus, over time, it builds up its own, natural, magic non-stick coating. So the burgers stick when you need them to for browning, but then they're pretty easy to flip as well. Best of both worlds!
This is also my go-to pan for making pancakes.
This thing is No Joke. it weighs a pound, lending its weight and heft to let you smash a burger really thin to make the most of the crispy browned goodness. There are more expensive ones out there--and less expensive ones--but the Sasquatch is my pick. Use this for any smashed burger you'd like to make, including my barbecued bacon smashed burger!
Helpful Tips
These burgers cook quickly, so have all your other components ready to go. If you are cooking a lot of burgers, keep them warm in a 200F oven or toaster oven.
Smash the burgers are thin as possible. They will contract some as they cook, and you want to make sure they cover the whole bun.
Smashed Burger Q & A
When you bring ground beef home with a plan for making smashed burgers but something messes up your plans, go ahead and form your beef into thin, 2 oz patties and freeze them.
Thaw them in the fridge the day before you plan on cooking and go from there. I wouldn’t recommend freezing the patties once cooked. Homemade burgers are definitely best when eaten fresh from the griddle.
Once you assemble the burgers completely, wrap them well in foil and allow them to steam for a couple of minutes. This softens the buns and gives you that wonderful fast-food burger texture (if that’s what you like)!
Replace the brioche buns with regular burger buns and reduce the amount of mayonnaise sauce by half, and you’ll save a couple of hundred calories right there.
Leave off one of the slices of cheese, and you’ll save roughly another hundred calories.
But sometimes, you need an indulgence. And if there were any burger that deserved the indulgence, it’s this guy!
More Smashed Burgers to Try
Since I made this, my first smashed burger recipe, I have made more. And more.
I kind of can’t get enough, and I don’t have to worry about making a dimple in the center of a thick patty so it doesn’t seize up like a puck when I cook it!
Aside from my BBQ Bacon Smashed Burger I linked to at the top of the post, you may also enjoy my Smashed Reuben Burger or my latest, the ever so delicious Epic Onion Burger Recipe.
And, even though I really love this burger, as-is, adding a bit of homemade spicy ketchup would be welcome!
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
It will help me and other readers so much if you take a moment to rate and leave a review for this recipe.
You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
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Thank you so much for taking the time!
Smashed Bacon Double Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet onions
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
- 12 slices bacon
- 4 brioche buns split
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- several grindings black pepper
- 8 slices American cheese
- 1 pound ground chuck
Instructions
- Slice the onions very thinly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Set aside but keep warm.
- Cook the bacon until crispy-chewy. You don’t want it totally crispy so it shatters when you bite it. Set aside, reserving the bacon fat.
- Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns with a thin coating of bacon fat. Toast them, cut side down (or broil them, cut side up) until golden brown. Set aside.
- Stir together the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper (as much as you like). Set aside.
- Divide the chuck into 8 2-oz patties and lightly roll each portion into a ball.
- Heat your ungreased griddle over medium high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes.
- Place 2 of the portions (or 4 if you’re fancy and your surface is big enough) onto the griddle and press them down firmly until they are flat. Use your spatula to thin out the edges even more so they get extra crispy. Season each patty with some salt and pepper, and sear for about 1 1/2 minutes or until there are several “done” spots on top of the patties and the edges are getting crispy.
- Use your scraper to scrape up each burger and flip each patty. Immediately top each one with a slice of American cheese. Top 1 of the patties (or 2 if you’re fancy) with 1/4 of the caramelized onions (or to taste).
- Let the burgers cook about 30 seconds, and then stack a cheese-topped patty on top of a cheese-and-onion-topped patty. Place in a 200F oven or toaster oven to keep warm.
- Finish cooking all patties in the same way. When you’re done, you’ll have 4 stacks of two cheese-topped patties with a layer of caramelized onions in between.
- Spread 1 Tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on both sides of each bun. Place 3 slices of bacon on each bottom bun and top with a “burger stack” and the top bun.
- Wrap each burger in a sheet of foil and allow to steam for 2-3 minutes. This will reheat the bun and make it nice and soft.
- Serve immediately. You can add extra toppings of your choosing if you like, but wow, is this combo fantastic all by itself!
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and hopefully also learned a thing or two.
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Expect updates on new and tasty recipes as well as a bit of behind-the-scenes action. I hope to see you there!
And if you end up eating one of these for breakfast, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Thanks for spending some time with me today, friends. Enjoy the best bacon cheeseburger(s) you may ever have the pleasure of eating, and have a lovely day.
Watch my best bacon cheeseburger web story here.
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You had me at double bacon cheeseburger!!! made these for dinner with fries on the side. (I’ll start my diet tomorrow) lol. Delicious and I actually had every thing on the cooking list in the house and the utensils too. I used a scale to measure out each ball but I made them 2.5 oz each. I saved some bacon grease from previously cooking bacon. I’m glad I got to use it. I had no idea why I was saving it other than my southern girlfriend said to save it…lol
Will definitely be making these again!
These were absolutely f**king delicious! Sorry for the swearing, but they were THAT good. 🙂
This is my new favorite comment ever! So glad you effing loved them!
2 oz. is way too small for these. They’re like half dollar size! I was cracking up when I cooked them. Next time I will use a pound and half or 2 pounds of beef.
Sorry it wasn’t enough beef for you, but I hope you enjoyed the whole set anyway. Sounds like you are going to make them again, sometimes, so yay for that! When I say samsh, I really mean Smash. I think my guys ended up super flat and about 3-3 1/2″ in diameter after cooking. But hey, sometimes more beef is a good thing!
I would rather have this than a burger on the grill any day of the week. These are addictively delish and I am not surprised you had these for breakfast. I always want two of these! I skip the sauce but sprinkle my burgers with Worcestershire, and grill seasoning. Then we like serving with ketchup, mustard, mayo, raw onions and dill pickles. Husband adds a raw mustard leaf for more “mustard” flavah!
Oooh, yes to the grill seasoning! No wrong way to enjoy a smashed burger! So glad you and your husband love ’em!
My husband said these were the best burgers I’ve ever made! He even liked the mayo sauce better than ketchup. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. Yum!
Oh, Stephanie, this makes me so happy! And tell your husband I know what he means. I love me some good ketchup, but there is something about the way the mayo sauce mixes with the burger juices that make me tell ketchup (sometimes) to just sit this one out! 🙂
These are exactly how I make mine. Once I learned the ‘smashing’ method I was hooked! I love how you put the burgers in a low oven before assembling. That is always my problem with serving these. I feel like a short order cook and can’t sit and eat with everyone, so thanks for the tip! Love your site by the way.
Right, Donna?! So much flavor! And happy to help you not feel like a short order cook. We should all be able to eat together as a family. 🙂 I appreciate the comment and I’m glad you like my site! Hope to see you around!
Thank you for sharing. Im going to try and make some this weekend!
Thanks for letting me know! Enjoy!