50/50 Beef Bacon Burger

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Our Bacon Burger is definitely the most divine burger you will ever sink your teeth into. Smoky bacon and ground beef come together in the most spectacular way, making a rich, juicy 50/50 burger. Learn how to get bacon into your beef patties with this easy bacon burger recipe.

title: 50/50 Beef Bacon Burger


 

Bacon Burger

Let me just say, OH MY GOSH!!! I can not get over this burger. It is absolutely one of my favorite burgers ever, and I am so excited to share it with you.

The magic comes from the Applewood smoked bacon. It adds so much flavor to the burger that you don’t need to add anything else.

No matter how you top it, this beef bacon burger is one you will remember.

Discover just how delicious bacon makes, well… everything! From baked beans and meatloaf, to jalapeno poppers and even ice cream — there’s no shortage of recipes to suit your fancy.

cooked bacon on rack

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Beef – Since there’s extra fat from the pork, stick with a 85% (or 85/15) blend of ground beef for this beef bacon recipe.
  • Bacon – I love the flavor of applewood smoked strips! Feel free to use a different variety, even flavored, as long as they are thick-cut.
  • Cheese – American is a classic choice, but cheddar, Provolone, Swiss, or any of the Jack cheeses would be tasty too.
  • Hamburger Buns – Grab your favorite! Classic, brioche, seeded — any variety works with this bacon burger recipe.
bacon and beef mixture

How to Make the Perfect Bacon Burger

First, bake your bacon. Sounds silly, I know — but it’s the easiest way to cook up a large batch with perfectly crispy results.

Allow it to drain and cool, then dice into small pieces. Combine with ground beef and form into patties.

This way, you get a little bit of bacon in each bite without worrying about strips sliding off as you eat!

Your bacon burger will also be especially juicy thanks to the extra fat from the pork.

grilled burgers

Beef Bacon Recipe Tips

  • Don’t overmix! Work the 50/50 burger mixture just until the bacon pieces are evenly distributed throughout the beef.

    Otherwise, your bacon burger patties will be tough and dry.
  • Make patties larger than the buns. They will shrink a bit when cooked, so always make them a bit wider — they’ll be a perfect fit when it’s time to chow down.
  • Indent the patties. Avoid that pesky dome by gently pressing your thumb into the center of each patty.

    Yes, the beef bacon burger will still dome when cooked, but it will come out even when it starts with a concave!
50/50 beef bacon burgers unassembled

Serving Suggestions

Top your bacon burger with all your favorite fixin’s!

From sauces and spreads to a wide range of toppings, there are so many ways to make this bacon burger recipe your own.

  • Sauces: ketchup, mayo, mustard or honey mustard, garlic aioli, bbq sauce, Big Mac sauce
  • Veggies: tomato, onion, lettuce, avocado, sauteed mushrooms
  • Extras: pickled, crispy onion strips, pickled jalapenos, fried egg

Bacon Burger Recipe FAQ

What is a 50/50 burger?

Simply put, it’s a burger patty made with 50% ground beef and 50% bacon. I like to use diced bacon strips in my beef bacon recipe, but others use ground bacon instead.

There’s also a famous 50/50 burger from the restaurant Slater’s. Their signature beef bacon burger is topped with Pepper Jack cheese, avocado mash, and a sunny side egg with chipotle adobo mayo slathered on the bun.

Do you put raw or cooked bacon in burgers?

It depends on how you like your bacon burger to be cooked. For well done, there will be plenty of time for both the beef and bacon in the burger to cook through.

However, you should cook and crumble strips before adding them to the patty mixture if you want your burger medium rare.

If using ground bacon, raw is fine. Both pork and beef are considered safe to eat at a minimum of 145°F, but ideally 165°F

50/50 Beef Bacon Burger on a plate

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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closeup of 50/50 Beef Bacon Burger

50/50 Beef Bacon Burger

50/50 Beef Bacon Burger

Donna Elick
Our 50/50 Bacon Burger is the most delicious burger you will ever sink your teeth into. Try this simple beef and bacon recipe today!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine American
Method Grill
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound thick cut Applewood smoked bacon
  • 1 pound 85% lean beef
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • butter
  • 4 slices American cheese

Optional toppings

  • mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, pickles

Instructions
 

  • Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place bacon on foil. Make sure the bacon is not touching. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the bacon is partially cooked. Remove and place on paper towels to drain the grease. Once bacon is drained and cool enough to handle, place on cutting board and dice bacon or cut with kitchen shears.
  • Preheat grill to high.
  • In a large bowl combine bacon and beef. Mix until combined. Form mixture into 4 patties, not too thick or they will not cook evenly. Using your thumb, make a slight indentation in center of patties on one side to prevent it from doming up in the center.
  • Place patties on the grill, make sure they are not touching. Grill burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side. Flip and grill for 3 to 5 minutes depending on your preferred doneness.
  • Top with cheese for the last few minutes.
  • Meanwhile, Brush your buns with butter and toast on the grill. Cook until golden brown with grill marks.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 915cal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 1389mg | Sugar: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 4mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
50/50 Beef Bacon Burger - pin

Originally published September 2011, updated and republished August 2023

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19 Comments

  1. Bacon in a burger, I'm sold!
    I've never "baked" my bacon – I'm forever burning myself with the spattering grease when cooking it on the stovetop.

  2. As much as I've heard about these burgers, how it is that I haven't tried them? They sound delicious. (I want a movie night! Let's kick the boys out of the house and do that soon.)

  3. Lynne – I highly recommend the oven or the microwave. I am far to dangerous to fry bacon… They don't call me 'Grace' for nothin'. ; ) Seriously though, less mess and better bacon. I had a metal cooling rack that inserted into my cookie sheet, that is perfect to use. The fat drains right into the pan (so I can scrape it up for cooking later).

    BFITK – That sounds like a fantastic idea! Boys at your house, movie at mine?

  4. The title of this post made me gasp. In a good way! We often add a slice of bacon to our burgers but I've never tried adding the bacon to the patty itself. One thing about burgers is that it needs some fat for flavour so adding streaky bacon can only be a good thing!

  5. Bacon should be called ba-king, its the king of flavor and these burgers look mighty tasty!
    Thanks for sharing..

  6. Oh my goodness – these sound insanely good…I should surprise my husband with these next weekend. He would love this!

  7. 5 stars
    I saw the Food Network show on the Slater’s 50/50 burger and had to try it.. oddly enough, there’s not many recipes online, so you win, lol.
    These gotta be in my top 3 burger recipes/techniques ever! Absolutely delicious! It’s a cross between cheeseburger and BLT. Just phenomenal..
    I only slightly modified your technique; I froze the bacon, then finely diced it, and pan fried over very low heat, no splattering!
    I’m actually making these again for Labor Day bbq.. thank you!!!!!

    1. Hi Steve,
      Thanks so much! We love the 50/50 burgers and they are perfect for Labor Day! Have a great day!
      TSRI Team Member,
      Holli

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