Bacon-Cheddar Burgers with Caramelized Onions

From the kitchen of Carly

Sweet, jammy onions meet crispy bacon and melted cheddar in these juicy beef burgers. The caramelized onions are cooked low and slow until golden, then deglazed with rice vinegar for subtle tang. Worcestershire adds depth to the patties.

Bacon-Cheddar Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions are the backbone here, their deep sweetness anchoring bacon and sharp Cheddar into something more than a burger. The trick is patience on the onions and frozen bacon that chops into fine, crisp bits instead of clumping. Sear hard, then coast to temperature over indirect heat so the cheese melts without drying out the meat.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbonions , sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
  • 1Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbspseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/2 lbsliced bacon, frozen 1 hour
  • 1 1/2 lbground beef chuck
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 1Salt
  • 1Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbspunsalted butter, melted
  • 4thin slices extra-sharp Cheddar
  • 4hamburger buns or alternatives such as kaiser or brioche rolls
  • 1Sliced tomato
  • 1Soft-leaf lettuce leaves or baby arugula
  • 1An instant-read thermometer

Instructions

  1. Pour the oil into a 12-inch heavy skillet and set it over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and completely softened, 15 to 20 minutes.

  2. Drop the heat to medium-low and pour in the vinegar, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Cook uncovered, stirring, until the liquid fully evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then transfer to a small bowl and keep warm under a cover.

  3. Prepare your grill for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal, or medium heat if you are using gas.

  4. While the grill heats up, pull the frozen bacon out and cut it crosswise into 8 sections. Drop the pieces into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

  5. Scatter the chopped bacon over the beef in a large bowl, then drizzle the Worcestershire sauce over the top. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

  6. Using your fingers, combine everything as gently and thoroughly as you can without overmixing. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, each about 4 inches across and 1 inch thick.

  7. Brush the cut sides of the buns with the melted butter and set aside.

  8. Oil the grill rack, then lay the patties directly over the coals or lit burner. Sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side, keeping the lid off for charcoal and covered for gas. If flare-ups hit, slide the patties to the no-coal or shut-off zone until they die down.

  9. Slide the burgers to the indirect zone and grill covered, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer reads 155°F, about 4 minutes total. Lay 1 to 2 slices of cheddar on each patty, cover the grill, and let the cheese melt until the burgers hit 160°F, about 1 minute more. Move them to a clean platter.

  10. Set the buns buttered-side down on the grill and toast until grill marks show, about 1 minute.

  11. Assemble each burger on a bun with tomato and lettuce or arugula, then pile the caramelized onions directly on top of the melted cheese.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Freeze bacon for exactly one hour before chopping, it'll stay separate and fine-textured rather than gumming up in the food processor.
  • Don't overmix the patties, that's how you end up with dense, tough burgers. Use your fingers, combine gently until just combined, then stop.
  • Caramelized onions take 15 to 20 minutes of patient stirring. Rush it and you get soft onions, not caramelized ones. Medium heat, covered, with occasional stirs.

Variations

  • Skip the grill and sear in cast iron, then finish in a 400°F oven for four to five minutes to get even cooking and better crust.
  • Swap the Cheddar for aged Gruyere and add a thin smear of Dijon mustard to the bun for a sharper, more sophisticated bite.
  • Go without the cheese, pile the caramelized onions even higher, and finish with a fried egg on top of each burger.
  • Use ground lamb instead of beef chuck and add a pinch of cumin to the mix, the onions become almost Middle Eastern this way.

Make ahead and storage

Caramelized onions keep in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. You can make them a day ahead. Cooked burgers are best eaten fresh off the grill, but leftovers reheat gently in a skillet over low heat.