Bacon Jam Cheeseburgers

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2-4 serving 

Recipe by Brandyn Baker of @blackdog_bbq

Ingredients:

· 2 lbs. (four 8-oz.patties) hamburger patties

· 4 buns

· Salt and pepper to taste (or rub of choice)

· 4 slices white American cheese

· 1 sweet onion, sliced + 1 sweet onion, diced

· Lettuce to garnish

· 1 package (16 oz.) thick-cut bacon, diced

· 1 T minced garlic

· ½ C brown sugar

· ¼ C maple syrup

· 1/3 C apple cider vinegar

Sautéed Onions:

Place butter in a pan over medium high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl until ready to use.

Bacon Jam:

Place a large saucepan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook for about 10 minutes, moving the bacon bits around as needed to prevent them from burning.

Once the bacon has turned a golden-brown color, remove them from the saucepan using a slotted spoon. Pour the bacon grease into a mason jar and save for later, making sure to reserve 1-2 tablespoons (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) for the onions.

Add the diced onions to the saucepan with the reserved bacon grease and sauté for about 10 minutes. Once the onions are tender, pour in the minced garlic, bacon bits, brown sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes longer. Once the mixture has a jam-like consistency, turn off the heat source and pour the mixture into a bowl.

Allow the bacon jam to cool at room temperature then refrigerate up to 1 week or until ready to use.

Cheeseburgers:

Preheat grill to its highest setting. Meanwhile, season the burger patties liberally with salt and pepper. Set the burgers aside until ready to cook.

Once the grill has preheated, place the seasoned patties on the grill. Allow the burgers to cook for 5-6 minutes.

Next, flip the burgers, top with the sliced cheese, and continue cooking until the patties register a minimum of 155 degrees, roughly 5-6 more minutes. Remove the cheeseburgers from the grill and turn off the burners.

Place the bottom half of a hamburger bun on a plate. Top with lettuce if desired plus a handful of the sautéed onions. To finish, add the cheeseburger patty and a generous spoonful of the prepared bacon jam. Place the top half of the bun on the burger and repeat this process with the remaining burgers.

Serve with your sides of choice and enjoy!