Bacon cheeseburgers are the bomb, but may I suggest an upgrade? If you’ve been around for a while you know that I like to take familiar recipes and twist them a little. (Or a lot.) This time I took a bacon cheeseburger and swapped out regular bacon for… bacon jam. The result? You’re new favorite burger.

This Juicy Bacon Jam Burger will blow your mind!

That little swap makes a HUGE difference and adds a sweet-smoky-tangy flavor that you never knew you needed. Because bacon jam is a little saucy it doubles as a burger sauce.

But feel free to add your favorite burger sauce or BBQ sauce. No such thing as too much sauce on a burger, IMO.

I also made my bacon burgers “smash burger” style on my griddle, but you can do traditionally grilled burgers, too. Or smoked burgers, even!

What is bacon jam?

If you’re not familiar, bacon jam is a combination of bacon and caramelized onions in a tangy sweet sauce. It’s a . . . spiritual experience. And thankfully it’s easy to make and I’ve got a recipe right here for you: Bacon Onion Jam.

It comes together in about 30-ish min with just a handful of ingredients. Use it on burgers, grilled meats, and use it to make the best grilled cheese of your life. (I’m not exaggerating.)

What you’ll need for this Bacon Cheese Burger

• Ground beef — Any kind will do. We’re making our own patties here.
• Steak seasoning — I like to make my own Homemade Steak Seasoning, but just use your favorite kind or an all-purpose BBQ rub.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Cheese of your choice — for this recipe I like smoked gouda or another type of smoked cheese. Munster works well, too, an melts nicely.
• A batch of Bacon Jam — Make this earlier in the day or up to 4-5 days in advance. If it’s chilled you’ll have to warm it up a little since the bacon drippings will make the bacon jam firm up when chilled.
• Buns and other burger fixings

How to make a Bacon Burger

1. Prep your patties by adding the steak seasoning and Worcestershire to your ground beef. Divide it into 6 patties or balls, if you’re doing smash burgers.
2. Heat up your grill or griddle. If you’re doing smash burgers, put the balls of meat on the hot griddle and smash them really flat. Cook the burgers until they’re as done as you prefer.
3. Add cheese during the last couple minutes of grilling as well as a big spoonful of bacon jam.
4. Assemble burgers on toasted buns.

Bacon Hamburger variations

Make it spicy: Add some diced jalapeño to your bacon jam and a few pinches of cayenne to your ground beef to give these burgers a little kick.

Switch up the meat: Use ground chicken, pork, turkey, or a combination of them for a different type of burger.

Low carb style: Swap out the bun for a lettuce wrap. Or turn this into a “burger salad” situation over a pile of salad greens and a drizzle of burger sauce. (YUM.)

Smoke it: Add an extra smoky component by making Smoked Burgers on your pellet grill or smoker!

How to serve a Burger with Bacon

These burgers are great on their own or with any of the variations above. If you’re looking for side dishes, these are some of my easy recipes that would work really well with these burgers:

Best Sweet Potato Fries

Instant Pot Potato Salad

Sweet Kale Salad

Avocado Lettuce Salad

Storing a Bacon Burger

If you happen to have leftovers, store any cooked patties in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I highly recommend reheating theses patties in a lidded skillet over medium high heat with a few tablespoons of water added so they don’t dry out.

More Delicious Burger Recipes on Perry’s Plate

Smoked Burgers

Jalapeno Burgers (smash burger style)

Mushroom Burgers

Goat Cheese Burger

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If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!