Buttery Steakhouse Burgers with Brown Sugar Bacon
Buttery Steakhouse Burgers with Brown Sugar Bacon
The steakhouse burgers recipe most people attempt ends up dense, domed, and dry. This one doesn’t.
The burger baseline the rest of our grilling recipes get measured against.
Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning goes on both sides of an 80/20 beef patty, that fat ratio matters, before it hits a 450°F grill. Brown sugar bacon, apple-wood smoked, coated in Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub, baked at 375°F on a wire rack until it actually snaps, goes on top. Two slices of melted cheddar in between. Toasted bun underneath. That’s the build, and every component earns its spot.
The process runs in parallel. Bacon goes in the oven first. While it bakes, you form the patties, season them, and let them sit at room temperature so they cook evenly from edge to edge. By the time the grill is fully preheated, the bacon is almost done. Thirty-five minutes, start to plate.
Handle the beef gently. Overworked ground beef packs tight and comes off the grill hard, you want tender, not dense. Use your thumb to press a small indent into the center of each patty before it goes on the grate. That indent closes as the meat contracts during cooking, keeping the patty flat and the cook even.
High heat sears the crust first. Four minutes on the first side builds the char. Three more on the flip. A quick move to indirect heat finishes the interior without drying it out. Lid down, two slices of cheddar on top, one more minute. Done.
Stack it from the bottom up: toasted bun, lettuce, onion, tomato, the double-cheddar patty, the brown sugar bacon, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, top bun. Serve immediately.
Works on a Tuesday. Holds up at a backyard cookout on Saturday. The Kinder’s carries both.
Flavor First.
Buttery Steakhouse Burgers with Brown Sugar Bacon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- BROWN SUGAR BACON — Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- BROWN SUGAR BACON — Place a large cooling rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- BROWN SUGAR BACON — Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
- BROWN SUGAR BACON — Coat one side of the bacon evenly with Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub.
- BROWN SUGAR BACON — Bake until bacon is crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.
- BURGERS — While bacon is cooking, preheat your gas grill to high heat (450°F).
- BURGERS — Form ground beef into 4 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick. Make a thumb indentation in the center of each patty to prevent bulging during cooking.
- BURGERS — Coat patties evenly on both sides with Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning.
- BURGERS — Let patties sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before grilling.
- BURGERS — Place patties on the grill and sear until brown and crispy on the bottom, about 3-5 minutes.
- BURGERS — Flip patties and cook for another 3 minutes.
- BURGERS — Move patties to indirect heat and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- BURGERS — Place 2 slices of cheese on each patty, cover the grill, and allow cheese to melt, about 1 minute.
- BURGERS — Toast hamburger buns on the grill for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
- BURGERS — Layer lettuce, onion, and tomato on the bottom bun.
- BURGERS — Top with the cheese-covered beef patty, then layer the crispy brown sugar bacon on top.
- BURGERS — Drizzle with BBQ sauce, place the top bun on the burger, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
- Form patties cold, rest at room temp — Keep the ground beef cold until you form the patties. Cold fat holds the structure. Once formed, let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling so the center cooks through at the same rate as the edges.
- Thumb indent every time — Press a 1-inch indent in the center of each raw patty. As the meat contracts on the grill, the indent fills back in — leaving you with a flat burger instead of a domed one.
- Wire rack on the baking sheet — Flat bacon on foil sits in its own grease and steams instead of crisps. A wire rack circulates air underneath every slice. That’s where the snap comes from.
- Pull at your target temp — 130–135°F is medium-rare. 145°F is medium. 160°F is fully cooked through. Carryover heat adds a couple degrees after you pull — factor that in and don’t chase a number on the grate.
- Toast the buns properly — A light brush of olive oil on the cut sides, one minute on the grill grate. You want golden and slightly firm, not soft and steaming. A toasted bun is structural — it’s the difference between a burger that holds and one that falls apart on the first bite.
- Don’t press the patty — Spatula pressure pushes juice out of the meat and onto the grate. Leave it alone. The crust develops without you.
- Crispy fries are the obvious call — have them ready so both hit the table at the same time. Grilled corn or a fresh coleslaw with a little acid and heat cuts through the richness of the bacon and the beef.
- Set out a topping spread and let people customize: pickles, pickled jalapeños, crispy fried onions, a bottle of hot sauce, a few different condiments. The BBQ sauce in the base recipe is the anchor — everything else is optional.
- For drinks: something with bitterness works against the fat. A cold craft beer, a fresh-squeezed lemonade, or a thick milkshake if you’re committing fully.
- Cooked patties and bacon store separately. Bacon goes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days — reheat at 350°F for 5 minutes to bring the crispness back. The microwave turns it soft; skip it.
- Cooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat to rebuild some crust. Don’t microwave the patties either.
- If you’re prepping ahead, form raw patties, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. For longer storage, freeze them the same way — up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before grilling. Don’t grill from frozen on high heat.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have a gas grill, can I cook these indoors?
Yes. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook patties 3–4 minutes per side for medium. Add cheese in the last minute and cover the skillet to melt it. Alternatively, broil at 500°F for 4–5 minutes per side, watch them closely.
Why does the thumb indent matter?
As the beef cooks, the proteins contract and push the center upward, giving you a domed patty that rocks on the bun. The indent closes as the meat tightens, leaving a flat, evenly cooked burger from edge to center.
How do I keep these burgers juicy?
Start with 80/20 ground beef, that fat is where the moisture comes from. Handle the meat as little as possible when forming patties, and never press down with a spatula while they cook. Pull at 145°F for medium; past that, the moisture drops off quickly.
What’s the best way to get the brown sugar bacon crispy?
Bake it on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet so the fat renders off and the bacon crisps from underneath. 375°F for 20–25 minutes. The Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub caramelizes on the surface during the last few minutes, don’t pull it early.
Can I make the patties ahead of time?
Yes. Form them, wrap each individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. To freeze: wrap the same way and store up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
More like this: Burger & Slider Recipes · Summer Grilling Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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