Irresistible Crack Burgers (Print Version)
Juicy patties with melty cheddar, crispy bacon and tangy sauce on toasted buns—fast, crowd-pleasing comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1½ lbs (680 g) ground beef, 80/20 blend
→ Seasoning
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
→ Crack Sauce
07 - ½ cup mayonnaise
08 - 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
11 - 2 teaspoons brown sugar
→ Toppings
12 - 8 slices cooked bacon
13 - 4 slices cheddar cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
15 - 1 large tomato, sliced
16 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Buns
17 - 4 brioche or potato buns
18 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for toasting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking slightly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix gently until just incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into patties slightly wider than the buns to account for shrinkage during cooking. Press a small dimple in the center of each patty to prevent puffing.
03 - Place patties on the hot grill or skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached. During the final minute of cooking, lay one slice of cheddar cheese on each patty and allow it to melt. Transfer to a plate and rest briefly.
04 - Melt unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place buns cut-side down and toast until golden brown, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, and brown sugar until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust heat level as desired.
06 - Spread crack sauce generously on both the bottom and top halves of each toasted bun. Layer shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and red onion on the bottom bun. Place the cheesy patty on top, followed by 2 strips of crispy bacon. Cap with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately while hot. Offer additional crack sauce on the side along with optional toppings such as pickles or sliced jalapeños.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crack sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from fries to scrambled eggs by Tuesday morning.
- That 80/20 beef blend with the dry rub seasoning creates a crust so good it should probably be illegal in at least three states.
02 -
- Overmixing the ground beef will make your patties dense and rubbery so stop folding as soon as the seasonings look evenly distributed.
- Pressing down on the patties with your spatula squeezes out all the juices and earns you a one way ticket to dry burger town.
03 -
- Make a small indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb before cooking to prevent it from puffing up into a meatball shape on the grill.
- Let the patties rest for two minutes after cooking so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your plate the moment you take a bite.