Putting the bacon and onions inside the burger insures this Caramelized Onion Bacon Burger delivers great flavor with each and every bite.
The making of Caramelized Onion Bacon Burger
Everybody loves a bacon burger, right? I know I do. A perfectly grilled burger, with some smokey bacon on top, and caramelized onion? Yum. Of course, it can also become a slippery mess. So I thought, why not put the onions and bacon inside the burger. So I did. And it is good. Flavor in every bite without the slippage.
Not only does this burger deliver great flavors, but you can also make these in advance. Mix the meat then take them to your cookout, throw them on the grill and eat them, all in one easy step. Convenient!
How to caramelize onions
To caramelize the onions; heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned; about 15 - 20 minutes.
If you are not cooking the burgers immediately, allow the onion to cool before adding them to the meat.
The Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli
While I think the Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli is the perfect topper for this burger, you don't have to use it. You can use whatever condiments you would normally use on your burger. Or you could try it with my recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Pesto. Both work with the rich flavors of the burger and work with either the arugula or spinach garnish.
Serve these Caramelized Onion Bacon Burgers with Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes for an easy picnic lunch.
Caramelized Onion Bacon Burger
Ingredients
- 1 pound 20% lean ground beef
- 4 ounces thick applewood bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 large onion diced and caramelized
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 slices of your favorite cheese I like to use fontina with this burger
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Arugula or spinach leaves
- 1 Recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli recipe follows
- 1 ounce drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the meat, bacon, and caramelized onion along with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Form into four patties.
- Heat your BBQ or grill to medium-hot, add the burgers and cook until browned on one side, flip and brown the other side. When almost cooked; place a slice of cheese on top and allow to melt.
- Meanwhile, lightly coat the bun with olive oil. Place on the grill, cut side down, and allow to heat. The bun should remain soft, and be lightly browned.
- Place the burger on the bun, spread 1 tablespoon of the aioli on the top half of the bun, place a mound of arugula or spinach on the burger, top with bun and serve.
- Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli: In a food processor, pulse the sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic until finely chopped, then puree until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, Parmesan and balsamic, pulse until blended. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.