Honey Mustard Pretzel Burger
A burger with homemade honey mustard sauce, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, and a soft pretzel bun.
- Prep
- 15min
- Cook
- 20min
- Total
- 35min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 940per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Two mustards go into this honey mustard: Dijon for heat and body, yellow for the ballpark tang. Equal parts Dijon and honey keep it from tipping too sweet, and a spoon of cider vinegar sharpens it. Whisk it first, since it doubles as a dip.
The patties cook in the bacon pan with a thin film of fat left behind, which seasons the crust. Pretzel buns are dense and salty; toast them cut side down in the same skillet so the sauce sits on a crisp surface instead of soaking in. Red onion adds the raw bite.
Honey Mustard Pretzel Burger
Prep 15 min, cook 20 min, total 35 min. About 940 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/honey-mustard-pretzel-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
Tap a step to keep your place.
Make the honey mustard sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, ¼ cup honey, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
Cook bacon strips in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but a thin layer of bacon fat from the pan.
Form ground beef into 4 equal patties, about ¾ inch thick. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C). In the last minute, top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese and cover to melt.
Toast pretzel buns cut-side down in the same skillet until golden, about 1-2 minutes.
Assemble burgers: Spread honey mustard sauce generously on both bun halves. Place beef patties with melted cheese on bottom buns, top with 2 strips of bacon per burger and red onion slices. Crown with top buns. Serve extra honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping.
Tips
- Start the bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat. The fat renders slowly and the strips cook flat and crisp.
- Pour off all but a thin layer of bacon fat before adding the oil. Too much fat and the patties fry instead of searing.
- Cover the pan for the last minute after adding the cheddar. Sharp cheddar melts more slowly than American and needs the trapped heat.
Substitutions
- Whole grain mustard for half the Dijon adds texture and pops of mustard seed.
- Smoked cheddar or Gruyère instead of sharp cheddar: smoked doubles down on the bacon, Gruyère is nuttier.
- Brioche buns instead of pretzel: softer and sweeter, so toast them well before adding the sauce.
- Turkey bacon renders very little fat, so add an extra 15 ml oil to the pan for the patties.
Make ahead & storage
The honey mustard keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge, since it's mostly mustard, honey and vinegar. Cooked bacon and patties keep 3 to 4 days; reheat the patties in a skillet to 165°F (74°C) and crisp the bacon in the same pan.
