Copycat Carl's Jr. Bacon Western Cheeseburger

1 . Stage

In one shallow bowl, whisk together milk, egg, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper until thoroughly combined. In another shallow bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch. In a final bowl, add bread crumbs.

2 . Stage

Fill a heavy bottomed pot with about 3” of oil and place over medium heat. Bring oil up to 375º. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 225° to keep everything warm.

3 . Stage

Slice the onion into 8, ¼” thick rings (you may need 2 onions), give them a quick rinse in cold water, then immediately add the onion slices to the flour mixture. Toss to coat, dredge in the egg, and finally coat with bread crumbs.

4 . Stage

Working in batches, fry the onion rings until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and transfer to the oven to keep warm.

5 . Stage

Place bacon strips in a large heavy bottomed skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until bacon is crisp but not burnt, flipping halfway through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet (that’s in the oven) and transfer sheet back to the oven.

6 . Stage

Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil and heat until shimmering. Season the patties heavily with salt and pepper on both sides and transfer to the skillet.

7 . Stage

Cook the burgers until cooked to your desired doneness and a crust has formed on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. After the first flip, top the burgers with cheese.

8 . Stage

While the burgers cook, prepare the buns by adding BBQ Sauce to both the inside top and bottom buns. Top the bottom buns with 2 onion rings.

9 . Stage

When the burgers are cooked and the cheese has melted, add them to the buns and finish with 2 strips of bacon., and serve.