Juicy Beef and Bacon Burgers

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 04/03/21
bacon burger with fries and ketchup

The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
487 Calories
28g Fat
21g Carbs
37g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 487
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 35%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 136mg 45%
Sodium 567mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 564mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These bacon burgers can be grilled, pan-grilled, broiled, or baked. Simple seasonings and diced bacon make these burgers juicy and delicious.

An egg and some fresh breadcrumbs supplement the ground beef mixture, but if you prefer all meat burgers, skip the egg and bread crumbs and use about 2 pounds of ground beef. Finely diced bacon gives the burgers a bit of smoky flavor and adds juiciness. The burgers are flavored with simple seasonings along with chopped onion and Worcestershire sauce. Use ground chuck, or a meat to fat ratio of 85/15 for the juiciest, most flavorful burgers.

Serve the burgers on soft burger buns or slider buns (toasted or not). For toppings, consider tomatoes, cooked bacon strips, slices of cheese, lettuce, onions, dill pickle slices, or pickled jalapeño pepper rings. See the tips and variations for a variety of homemade spreads and toppings.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

  • 2 slices bacon, diced

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/4 cups fresh soft breadcrumbs

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 6 large hamburger buns, optional

  • Toppings and condiments, optional

Steps to Make It

Note: there are three great methods you can use to create these delicious burgers: using the stovetop, oven, or grill.

Pan-Grilled Bacon Burgers

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine ground beef, onion, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until blended.

  3. Shape the ground beef mixture into 4 to 6 burgers and dust them lightly with the flour.

  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers for 7 to 10 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness.*

Baked Bacon Burgers

  1. Combine ground beef, onion, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until blended.

  2. Shape the ground beef mixture into 4 to 6 burgers and dust them lightly with the flour.

  3. Heat the oven to 350 F.

  4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or place a rack on the pan.

  5. Place the patties on the prepared baking pan or rack, if using.

  6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are cooked as desired.

Grilled Bacon Burgers

  1. Combine ground beef, onion, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until blended.

  2. Shape the ground beef mixture into 4 to 6 burgers and dust them lightly with the flour.

  3. Oil the grill grate and heat half of it to high heat or about 400 F to 450 F. The other half of the grill should be low heat.

  4. Place the burgers on the high heat side and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until well browned. Move them to the low heat area and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until done as desired.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

  • According to the USDA, the minimum safe temperature for ground meat—beef, lamb, pork—is 160 F. Cook ground poultry to at least 165 F.
  • Assemble the burgers on toasted buns and offer toppings and condiments in separate bowls.

Recipe Variations

  • For Bacon Cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on each burger about 1 minute before they're ready.