Bacon in a Burger Recipe (50/50 Burger)
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This Bacon in a Burger recipe will give you the most divine burger you will ever sink your teeth into. Smoky bacon and ground beef come together in the most spectacular way, creating a rich, juicy 50/50 burger! Learn how to get bacon into your beef patties for the perfect beef bacon burger!
Table of Contents
Bacon in a Burger
Let me just say, OH MY GOSH!!! I can not get over this burger. It is absolutely one of my favorite recipes ever, and I am so excited to share it with you.
A lot of the magic comes from the applewood smoked bacon that’s mixed right in with the ground beef. It adds so much flavor that you don’t need to add anything else before grilling.
A lot of people call it a 50 50 burger because it’s made with 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of bacon.
Don’t forget to add your favorite burger toppings — this is the best way to turn a hamburger patty into the ultimate burger that you love!
No matter how you serve it, this bacon in a burger recipe 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.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground Beef – Since there’s extra fat from the pork, stick with an 85% (or 85/15) blend of ground beef.
- Bacon – I love the flavor of applewood smoked strips! Feel free to use a different variety, even flavored, as long you use thick-cut bacon in a burger.
I recommend you bake your bacon. Sounds silly, I know — but it’s the easiest way to cook up a large batch with perfectly crispy results. - Cheese – American is a classic choice, but cheddar, Provolone, Swiss, or any of the Jack cheeses would be tasty too.
- Burger Buns – Grab your favorite! Classic, brioche, seeded — any variety works with this burger.
- Toppings – There are so many to choose from. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced onion, pickles… opt for your favorites!
Tips and Tricks to Make the Perfect 50 50 Burger
- Bake the bacon in a single layer.
Make sure to add the raw bacon in an even single layer on a baking sheet before you pop it in the oven.
It will crisp up much better when the sheet isn’t super crowded!
Bake it for the full 15 minutes for extra crunchy results, but remember to keep an eye (and nose) on it so it doesn’t burn.
- Don’t overmix!
Work the burger mixture just until the bacon pieces are evenly distributed throughout the beef. The goal is to just combine them enough so they hold together.
Otherwise, the patties will come tough and dry instead of tender and juicy the way we want them to be.
- 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.
The burgers may still dome when cooked, but it will even out towards the end of the grilling time as long as you start with an indent.
Prep Ahead
- Bake the bacon
- Preheat your grill
- Prep any toppings
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Baking Sheets lined with Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil – Used for anything from cookies to roasting, a good baking pan will last for years.
- Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Outdoor or Countertop Grill
- Long Tongs or Barbecue Gloves for flipping the meat.
Serving Suggestions
Top your 50 50 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 recipe your own.
- Sauces: Ketchup, mayo, mustard or honey mustard, garlic aioli, BBQ sauce, Big Mac Sauce
- Veggies: Tomato, onion, lettuce, avocado, sautéed mushrooms
- Extras: Pickled onions, crispy onion strips, pickled jalapenos, fried egg
Pair that with some French fries, onion rings, or roasted garlic herb potatoes and you’ll have delicious burgers with all your favorite things!
You can also use a lettuce wrap if you want to enjoy the burger meat without the added bread.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
I recommend storing each 50/50 hamburger and its toppings separately to keep them fresh longer. The burger patties will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
To freeze, add cooled patties to a baking sheet and flash freeze until solid before transferring to a Ziploc bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating for the best texture.
The stovetop is my preferred method for reheating! I like using my cast iron over medium. The patties only need a few minutes on each side.
50/50 Hamburger FAQ
Simply put, it’s a burger patty made with 50% ground beef and 50% bacon. I like to use diced bacon strips in my recipe, but others use ground bacon instead.
There’s also a famous 50/50 hamburger 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 mayo slathered on the bun.
It depends on how you like your burgers cooked. For well done, there will be plenty of time for both the beef and bacon to cook through.
However, you should cook and crumble strips before adding the bacon to the raw patties if you want yours 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.
Absolutely! You can cook the patties in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat if you don’t have a grill — or if it’s too cold out!
3-5 minutes per side should do the trick. Top with cheese during the last minute of cooking to melt it.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Bacon in a Burger Recipe (50/50 Burger)
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
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.
Originally published September 2011, updated and republished May 2025
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
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.
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.)
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?
Oh that sounds just about perfect – brilliant!
Mary
Oh my!! That's sounds so amazing!!
Awesome, and to make it even better you can top it with more bacon:)
My husband would lose his mind over this!
What a burger.Feast for the eyes..and mouth(when I make them):)
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!
Bacon should be called ba-king, its the king of flavor and these burgers look mighty tasty!
Thanks for sharing..
Feast for the eyes. Looks great, got me craving for a king sized bacon burger 🙂
This looks absolutely yummy…I should try this soon…Thanks for the recipe dear…
This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it!
Looks amazing :O
Oh my goodness – these sound insanely good…I should surprise my husband with these next weekend. He would love this!
This is absolutely genius! I know I will be making this for the 4th!
Oh, wow. I'm not even a bacon fan, but this looks good.
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!!!!!
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
Absolutely the best burger I’ve ever made! The bacon adds such a rich, smoky flavor. It was super easy to follow Donna and Chad’s recipe!
Hi Elijah!
Glad you enjoyed our recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn