BBQ Bacon Burger

Ingredients

• Ground beef (1 pound (80/20 blend for juiciness))
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
• Cheddar cheese (4 slices)
• Bacon (8 slices)
• Onion (1, sliced (preferably red or sweet onion))
• Tomato (1, sliced)
• Lettuce (4 leaves (iceberg or romaine))
• Hamburger buns (4, preferably toasted)
• BBQ sauce (1/2 cup (homemade or store-bought))

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a mixing bowl, season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Gently form the beef into 4 equal patties, making a slight indentation in the center of each patty to prevent puffing while grilling.
3. Place the patties on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes on one side. Flip the patties and cook for an additional 4 minutes for medium doneness. Add a slice of cheddar cheese on each patty during the last minute of cooking to melt.
4. While the burgers are grilling, heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Toast the hamburger buns on the grill for about 1 minute until golden brown.
6. To assemble the burgers, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each bun. Top with a burger patty, two slices of crispy bacon, a few onion slices, tomato slices, and a generous drizzle of BBQ sauce. Cover with the top half of the bun.
7. Serve the burgers immediately, accompanied by extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.