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hand holding a cheeseburger topped with bacon jam
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4.67 from 24 votes

Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburgers

Take the classic cheeseburger to a whole new level of deliciousness with this easy to make bourbon bacon jam!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Condiment, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon jam, bacon jam recipe, bourbon recipe, cheeseburger
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 853kcal
Author: The Chunky Chef

Ingredients

BOURBON BACON JAM:

  • 12 oz bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1 sweet onion, finely diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 5-6 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 5 Tbsp Bourbon
  • 5 Tbsp water
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • cracked black pepper, to taste

CHEESEBURGERS:

  • 2 lbs ground beef (I like to use 85/15)
  • 1 small sweet onion
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream optional but recommended
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • green leaf lettuce
  • 4 slices white American cheese (or your favorite cheese)
  • small amount of mayo (optional)
  • 4 brioche hamburger buns (or your favorite buns)

Instructions

BOURBON BACON JAM:

  • To a large skillet, saute bacon pieces over MED heat until crispy, about 8-12 minutes.  I used center cut bacon, so there wasn't too much bacon grease, but if yours is particularly greasy, drain about half the grease.  Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft and tender, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add cider vinegar, brown sugar, bourbon, water, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly cooked off, about 10-15 minutes. Mixture will be thick and syrupy.
  • Use immediately, or place into airtight container and refrigerate for 2-4 weeks.

CHEESEBURGERS:

  • Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over MED-HIGH heat.  Add hamburger buns, cut side down, and toast until golden brown.  Turn off heat and remove to a plate to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, heavy cream, salt and pepper.  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.
  • Use your hands to mix gently until just combined.  Form into 4 patties (for 1/3 lb burgers, make 6 patties, and for a 1/4 lb burger, make 8 patties).  Make an indentation in the center of each burger with your thumbs to ensure even cooking.
  • Heat a drizzle of oil in the same skillet over MED heat and cook burgers about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness.
  • The last minute of cooking, place cheese slices on patties and cover pan with aluminum foil.  Serve hamburgers on toasted buns with lettuce and bourbon bacon jam.

Video

Notes

Bourbon Bacon Jam recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Nutrition

Calories: 853kcal