bacon Cheeseburger-style smash burger

Ingredients

burgers

• 800 g beef mince (20% fat)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

bacon

• 8 rashers streaky bacon

To assemble

• 4 soft sesame-free buns
• 8 slices American cheese
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• pickle slices
• Mayonnaise
• butter, for toasting

Method

1. Cook bacon. pan-fry bacon until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper. Reserve the bacon fat.
2. Divide. Form 8 loose beef balls. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear. Heat a heavy pan smoking hot. Smash burgers into the pan. Don’t move for 90 seconds.
4. Flip + cheese. Flip, lay 2 cheese slices on each burger. Cook 60 seconds more.
5. Toast buns. Toast the cut sides in the reserved bacon fat. That’s the secret.
6. Assemble. bottom bun → mayo → onion → pickle → 2 burgers (stacked) → crispy bacon → lettuce → tomato → top bun.

Tips

• Cook the bacon first. Use the bacon fat to toast the buns — adds bacon flavour to every pite.
• Crispy bacon is essential. Limp bacon = limp burger.
• American cheese melts properly. Cheddar stays clumpy.