Bacon Jam Cheddar Smash Burger
A smash burger with thin-pressed beef, sweet-savory bacon jam, sharp aged cheddar, and peppery arugula on a toasted brioche bun.
- Prep
- 20min
- Cook
- 30min
- Total
- 50min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 1010per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Most of the cooking time here goes into the bacon jam, not the burgers. Crisp the bacon, brown the onion slowly in its fat, then simmer both with maple syrup and cider vinegar until sticky. Make it first and let it rest while the griddle heats.
The burgers go fast. Eight small balls of beef get smashed to about 1/4 inch (5 mm), cooked 2 minutes, flipped and stacked in pairs, with cheddar on only one patty of each pair. Sharp aged cheddar and a handful of arugula keep the sweet jam from taking over.
Bacon Jam Cheddar Smash Burger
Prep 20 min, cook 30 min, total 50 min. About 1010 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/bacon-jam-cheddar-smash-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
Tap a step to keep your place.
Make the bacon jam: Cook 8 slices chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
In the bacon fat, cook diced onion for 12-15 minutes until deeply caramelized. Return bacon to the pan, add 2 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Simmer for 3 minutes until thickened. Set aside.
Divide the ground beef into 8 portions and form into loose balls. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Brush with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
Working in batches, place beef balls on the hot surface and immediately smash with a sturdy spatula until very thin (about ¼ inch). Cook for 2 minutes until crispy and browned, flip, top half the patties with cheddar, and cook 1 more minute, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C).
Stack 2 patties per burger (one with cheese, one without). Spread bacon jam on toasted bottom buns, add arugula, place double-stacked patties on top, crown with top buns, and serve immediately.
Tips
- Give the onions the full 12 to 15 minutes at medium. If the pan starts to scorch, add a splash of water and scrape; rushed onions make a thin, harsh jam.
- Put a square of parchment between the spatula and the beef before you smash. It stops sticking and lets you press hard and evenly.
- Stack the cheese-topped patty on the bottom and set the plain one on it while the cheddar is still soft, so the two hold together.
- Bacon jam firms as it cools. Warm it in the pan for a few seconds or stir in a teaspoon of water so it spreads without tearing the bun.
Substitutions
- Bourbon Bacon Jam made ahead: warm it briefly, spread it straight from the jar and skip the first two steps.
- Honey instead of maple syrup: the jam sets the same way, with a more floral sweetness.
- Gruyère instead of aged cheddar: nuttier, and it melts smoother on the thin patties.
- Gluten-free: pick a sturdy gluten-free bun, since thin, juicy smash patties soak through soft bread fast.
Make ahead & storage
The bacon jam keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge; rewarm it gently before using. Smash patties are best within minutes of cooking, while the edges are crisp. Leftover patties keep 3 to 4 days; reheat to 165°F (74°C).
