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Home / Main Dishes / Beef

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers

5
/5
25 minutes
29 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 06/24/2016

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Nothing beats a great burger.  Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli!  Make burger night one to remember!

These bacon cheeseburgers are nothing short of amazing!  Tender burger patties are made using a surprising ingredient, then crusted with cracked black pepper before being cooked to juicy, seared perfection.  Topped with your favorite cheese and veggies, then slathered with the most flavorful garlic aioli… and served on toasted Kings Hawaiian hamburger buns!

The post was originally sponsored by Kings Hawaiian.

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.comWhen I think of the quintessential summer food… one that comes to mind is a great burger.  Whether you fire up the grill, switch on the broiler, or preheat your trusty cast iron skillet… it’s hard to go wrong with a delicious burger!  Especially juicy bacon cheeseburgers!

Usually, I prefer my burgers cheese-less.  Like my Coffee-Rubbed Burgers for instance.  But this bacon cheeseburger is a whole ‘nother story!  I chose to use a Colby-Jack cheese, which is one of my favorites, and instead of going with the traditional ketchup and mustard combo, I made a quick and easy garlic aioli.

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

Even the best burger can be downplayed by a lack-luster bun… so I went with the best… Kings Hawaiian hamburger buns!  I reach for these weekly at the grocery store.

I like to toast my burger buns in the bacon grease leftover after cooking the bacon.  Not only does it give it a great golden crust that will stand up to the big burger, but it imparts great flavor as well!

Feel free to top your burgers with whatever you’d like… I kept it simple with some fresh green lettuce and sliced sweet onions.

The garlic aioli is pretty much the only sauce you’ll ever need for your burgers.  I know that’s a bold statement, but I’m serious!  Aioli’s are popping up in fancy restaurants everywhere, transforming mundane burgers into gourmet works of art.

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

One of the reasons I love these bacon cheeseburgers so much is the secret ingredient in the burger patty.  I use a tablespoon of cream!  It may sound weird, but trust me on this… it will leave you with the most velvety, juicy, and tasty burger you’ve ever had!

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers

5 from 1 vote
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 -8 burgers
(hover over # to adjust)
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Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember!

Ingredients

  • GARLIC AIOLI:
  • 2 cloves small garlic pressed or very finely minced (or 1 large clove)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh minced parsley
  • PEPPER CRUSTED BURGERS:
  • 2 pounds ground beef I used 80/20
  • 1 small sweet onion
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Green leaf lettuce
  • slices Colby-Jack cheese
  • 8 slices bacon
  • Sliced sweet onion
  • Kings Hawaiian hamburger buns

Instructions

  • MAKE THE AIOLI:
  • In a small bowl, add pressed garlic and salt. Using a fork, mash until garlic becomes a paste.
  • Add mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and parsley and whisk until combined.
  • Cover and chill in the refrigerator.
  • MAKE THE BURGERS:
  • In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
  • Keep bacon grease in the pan and heat over MED-HIGH heat. Place hamburger buns, cut side down, in the grease to toast, until golden brown. Remove buns to a plate to cool.
  • Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  • Crack some freshly ground black pepper onto a paper plate and set aside.
  • To a large mixing bowl, add ground beef. Peel the onion and grate (using a hand grater or even a box grater) about 2 Tbsp of onion into the meat. Use the fine side of the grater, so you're getting very small pieces of onion. You'll get onion juice too, and that's good.
  • Add heavy cream and salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix together until just combined. Don't over-mix.
  • Form into patties (4 patties will yield a roughly 1/2 lb burger, 6 patties will yield a 1/3 lb burger, and 8 patties will yield a 1/4 lb burger), and lightly press patty into the plate of cracked pepper (on both sides). Make an indentation in the center of each patty, to ensure even cooking.
  • Grill over MED-HIGH heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness.
  • The last 30 seconds of cooking, place a slice of Colby-Jack cheese on each patty.
  • Serve on toasted Kings Hawaiian buns, with lettuce, sliced onions, cooked bacon and garlic aioli.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

1. Burgers may also be cooked in a skillet: Add a drizzle of oil and a pat of butter to skillet and heat over MED to MED-HIGH heat. Cook burgers about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness.

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers | Nothing beats a great burger. Except delicious pepper crusted bacon cheeseburgers, slathered with a garlic aioli! Make burger night one to remember! | http://thechunkychef.com

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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Recipe Rating




  1. McKenzie says

    Posted on 5/4 at 11:23 am

    This looks amazing! I love the idea of putting a burger on Hawaiian rolls. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Katy says

    Posted on 3/28 at 2:09 pm

    I cannot read the recipe… it is in a skinny box and I tried to open it on Pinterest and my browser and it will not work. I hope this is just me and not everyone sees it like that

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 3/28 at 2:40 pm

      Hi Katy 🙂 Unfortunately, we’re going through a few cosmetic changes to the mobile version of the website, and while they’re in flux, things may look a bit odd. Bear with us, it should be fixed soon!

      Reply
  3. Marc says

    Posted on 3/3 at 8:52 pm

    These look incredible. Love the Hawaiian bread buns!

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    Posted on 7/11 at 4:39 pm

    I’ve read through the recipe multiple times and I don’t see anywhere where the burgers are encrusted with pepper, Am I missing something?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 7/11 at 9:10 pm

      Hi Melissa 🙂 Oh wow, I can’t believe I completely forgot that step! I’ve updated the recipe, thanks for the heads up!

      Reply
  5. Megan @ MegUnprocessed says

    Posted on 6/29 at 1:31 pm

    What a great sandwich!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/29 at 10:02 pm

      Thanks Megan! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Britt @ Sweet Tea & Thyme says

    Posted on 6/25 at 2:56 pm

    I love Hawaiian rolls but I’ve never had it on a burger, so this is going to be a good experience. You’re a woman after my own heart, Amanda!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/27 at 9:52 pm

      Thanks Britt!! I love the subtle sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls with the peppery flavor of the burgers 🙂

      Reply
  7. Cookin Canuck says

    Posted on 6/25 at 1:02 pm

    You and I are on the same wavelength – heat no, food yes. And these cheeseburgers look like the quintessential summertime food. Salivating!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/27 at 9:51 pm

      Thanks so much!! I much prefer winter weather, but summer food 🙂

      Reply
  8. Jenny | honey and birch says

    Posted on 6/25 at 11:40 am

    Is it okay that I want this burger for breakfast? Cause I want it right now. YUM!!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/27 at 9:50 pm

      I say go for it… it has bacon on it, so it’s practically breakfast 😉

      Reply
  9. Katerina @ Diethood says

    Posted on 6/25 at 11:39 am

    Staring at the photos and all I can think about is inhaling that awesome juicy burger. especially when it’s beautiful as this!!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/27 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks so much Katerina!! 🙂 Burgers are so tough to shoot, so I was really worried it wouldn’t turn out well

      Reply
  10. Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says

    Posted on 6/24 at 11:48 pm

    This cheeseburger!! OMG it looks SO good!!!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:31 am

      Thanks so much Becky!! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Quin @ Butter Be Ready says

    Posted on 6/24 at 10:34 pm

    I could have about 2 of these in one sitting and I ain’t ashamed to say it!!! These burgers look and sound so good…definitely will make these this summer 🙂

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:31 am

      Thanks so much Quin!! Love the name of your site, btw 🙂

      Reply
  12. Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says

    Posted on 6/24 at 10:11 pm

    looks so good that it made me whimper a little. I’m all about the grill, the slow cooker, and eating something cooked in somebody else’s kitchen this time of year…

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:31 am

      Thanks so much Heather!! Oh yes, food cooked in someone else’s hot kitchen is the best 😉

      Reply
  13. Erin @ The Speckled Palate says

    Posted on 6/24 at 9:28 pm

    I’m totally with you on the heat vs. awesome food conundrum. It gets so painfully hot here… but the food is so delicious. Especially when cooked on the grill. And then burgers. Swoon. Seriously. I could go for one of these right now!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:30 am

      Thanks so much Erin! Whew, I’m glad I’m not alone on the heat vs food thing 🙂

      Reply
  14. Sheena says

    Posted on 6/24 at 7:24 pm

    I’m such a sucker for a great burger and this one would hit the spot! I’d love to give your coffee rubbed burgers a try too!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:29 am

      Thanks so much Sheena!! Burgers are just so perfect this time of year 🙂

      Reply
  15. Marissa says

    Posted on 6/24 at 5:32 pm

    You just lured me here with that absolutely stunning photo on FoodGawker. OMG this looks amazing and I’m always on the lookout for new burgers to try.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/25 at 8:29 am

      Thanks SO much Marissa!! I was super happy when I saw it on page one of FoodGawker 😀

      Reply

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