Better Bacon Cheeseburger
Recipe from Real Simple
Every wonder about the difference between ground chuck and ground sirloin? Ground chuck contains about 20% fat, a sure thing when juicy burgers are in order. But we wanted a leaner burger, so we chose ground sirloin with just 10% fat. But don't worry, we packed in extra flavor with the addition of bacon. Shredded cheddar covers the burgers evenly but adds up to less cheese than a full slice. The flavorful patties get topped with grilled onions, spinach, and a spicy special sauce. We made ours with heart-healthy olive-oil mayo, ketchup, and Sriracha. Cutting the sweet ketchup in half means you'll skip some of the added sugar then if you used ketchup alone.
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Total time | Yield |
15 mins | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1pound ground sirloin
- 3 thick-cut, center-cut bacon slices, finely chopped
- 1teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
- 4thick red onion slices
- 4whole-wheat hamburger buns, split
- ¼cup mayonnaise (preferably olive oil–based)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1tablespoon Sriracha chile sauce
- 1cup loosely packed fresh spinach, stems removed
- Sliced pickles, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat grill to medium high. Gently mix together the sirloin, bacon, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into 4 (½-inch- thick) patties. Press your thumb gently into the center of each patty to make an indentation.
2. Season the patties with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Grill until nicely charred on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes. Divide the Cheddar among the patties, cover, and cook until melted, about 2 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, grill the onion slices, flipping once, until lightly charred and tender, about 4 minutes. Grill the buns, cut-side down, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and Sriracha in a small bowl. Top the bun bottoms with the patties, onion slices, spinach, and pickles. Divide the mayonnaise mixture among the bun tops and place on the burgers.
