Bacon Cheeseburger

1. Stage

Preheat the grill: Prepare a grill for 2-zone grilling, where one side of the grill is hotter than the other. Both the bacon and burgers cook over direct heat, but in case of a flareup, the indirect or cooler zone gives the meat a safe place to land. On a gas grill, leave one burner off. On a charcoal grill, leave one side free of lit coals. You want to bring it 350°F to 450°F to cook the bacon. You will increase the heat further when it comes time to cook the burgers. Allow the grill to preheat for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Stage

Prepare the cheese, chop the bacon, make burger mixture: Prepare the cheese by stacking two slices together with each slice offset by 45 degrees. This helps the cheese evenly cascade down the burger when it melts. Set aside. Chop 3 slices of uncooked bacon. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, chopped bacon, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Using your fingertips, gently combine the ingredients with the meat. For the juiciest burger possible, it’s important not to overwork the meat. Using only your fingertips is the best method here.

3. Stage

Form the patties: Evenly divide the meat mixture into 6 balls weighing approximately 5.3 ounces each. If you don’t have a scale to weigh the meat, eyeballing 6 equal patties is fine. Place each ball between your outstretched fingers and flatten. Place each patty on a baking sheet and use your fingers to help flatten the patties more. When done, each patty should be approximately 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Season both sides of the patty with salt and pepper. Using two fingers or the back of a spoon, place a wide dimple in the center of each burger. Creating an indentation helps keep the burger from swelling when grilled. Transfer the patties to the fridge while you grill the remaining bacon.

4. Stage

Grill the bacon and set aside: Place the remining 12 slices of bacon on the grill over direct heat. Grill for approximately 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking. Grill longer or shorter depending on the desired level of doneness. I prefer the 4-minute mark, which leaves just a little bit of pull in the bite, but if you prefer crispier bacon, grill longer.  Place the bacon on a wire rack over a paper towel and loosely tent with aluminum foil.

5. Stage

Prepare grill for burgers: Keep the same two zone grilling method you’ve already set up but increase the direct heat side to 400°F to 500°F. You want to cook the burgers at a higher temperature than the bacon.

6. Stage

Grill the burgers and add the cheese: Grill the patties over direct heat, flipping once halfway through cooking, until the internal temperature reaches 155°F with an instant-read thermometer, approximately 9 to 11 minutes total. The final burger is cooked medium-well, with a well-formed crust and visible grill marks. Add cheese slices to each patty during the last minute of grilling. Remove burgers from the grill and set aside on a sheet tray tented with foil while you grill the burger buns.

7. Stage

Grill the buns: Grill the buns cut side down over direct heat until marked, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.

8. Stage

Assemble the burgers and serve: Place a burger on each bottom bun. Place two folded slices of bacon on top of each burger. Top with bun and serve with your choice of condiments.