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.