The Best Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger Recipe
The Best Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger. How to make a perfect juicy burger. Stuffed with flavor filled center of cheddar cheese, onion, jalapeño, and bacon; then topped with avocado.
I’m ready to let you in on a little secret…I know how to make The Best Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger. This is my beloved recipe that has been developed, tried and tested for fail-proof, juicy stuffed burgers. This may just be the best burger you have ever had. – Within this post you’ll learn tips on how to pick the best meat and ingredients for the most flavorful burger. You’ll also learn how to prep and cook it for perfect juicy burgers. –
I’ve fine tuned this recipe over many variations and ended up with this final version; where every single ingredient plays a critical role in the flavor, structure and juiciness of this stuffed burger. For one, you might be asking why stuffed burgers? Not only is it a clean way to eat and present them, but it’s a joyous surprise for any guest who blissfully bites into one thinking it’s a regular old burger. Stuffing burgers creates an open pocket inside and less surface area around it. It doesn’t need to cook as long to get the meat towards the center to just medium (or however you like your burger cooked).
As far as ingredients; let me break them down for your real quick:
- The egg helps hold the meat together; the burger can be a bit fragile with the thin layers and a filled center.
- Onions add flavor, but more importantly a bit of moisture and liquid. Be sure to mince them small so the meat will hold together.
- Worcestershire sauce is that all important savory umami flavor. This gives your burgers a delightful taste.
- Salt and pepper are not actually flavors, but flavor enhancers. They are still very important in this recipe.
- Cheese adds flavor; extra cheese in the meat adds more moisture.
- Bacon. I don’t need to say anything more about bacon right?
- Jalapeños give it a slight spice and a bit of tang. This rounds out all the flavors.
- Avocado adds creaminess and a lovely flavor pairing to the beef and bacon. I often include avocados in my burger recipe such as Keto Cheese Burgers.
As you can see this recipe has been engineered to be the perfect best stuffed burger. You may also notice no condiments. I highly recommend you DO NOT ADD mayo, mustard, or ketchup. Those will just throw off the flavor. Read the cooking tips below for more details about getting juicy burgers.
Cooking Tips: How to get the juiciest burgers
Start with high-quality, lean meat. You’d think that beef with a higher fat content would be juicier, but I found this to be contrary. Most of the fat burns off, and the burger dries out. Plus the fat and juice that drips off flairs up. This makes flames that unevenly cook your burger quicker.
Mix a bit of cheese into the burger meat (don’t forget stuffed inside for added flavor too). This makes the meat less dense, allowing heat to evenly heat through. The bits of cheese melt and adds juiciness as well.
Make sure to cook burger at the right heat. Too high and it will burn the outside, and not cook the inside correctly. Too little heat and you won’t get those nice sear marks on the outside. Be sure to let the meat sit and get close to room temperature (at least 20 minutes), but not too long where it could attract bacteria. If you cook meat while it’s cold (fridge temp), the inside will take longer to cook.
And of course, stuff the center of your burgers with a pocket of heavenly flavor (detailed above in the post). It’s easiest if you have a burger press to shape the burger. View graphic above to see how to do this.
If your want more burgers, check out my Ultimate Honey BBQ Bacon Burger recipe.
Serve this burger alongside Crispy Baked Potato Wedges for a delightful meal and additional perfect crunch!
Products used in this recipe:
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Blue/Green/Yellow
Nonstick Jumbo Cookware with Glass Lid, 5-Quart
Stuffed Burger Set Essential
Char-Broil 3-Burner Gas Grill
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Recipe at-a-glance:
Difficulty: Medium
Flavor profiles: Ridiculously delicious! The best burger you’ve ever had. Technically speaking: rich, smoky, savory, a bit spicy, and bacon! Bacon is a flavor profile right?
Texture: Moist, tender, juicy, gooey and just a bit of crunch.
Dietary Options/Substitutions: GF – You can wrap in lettuce or omit bun. If you don’t eat beef you can use ground turkey.
Here are more burger recipes you might want to try:
- Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
- Grilled Bubba Veggie Burger
- Teriyaki Surf and Turf Burgers
- Wild Pollock Fish Burgers
- Greek Turkey Pita Burgers
- Sesame Salmon Burger
The Best Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef good quality, 90% or higher
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2-3 bacon strips
- 4 pickled jalapeño slices chopped
- 2 hamburger buns sourdough, ciabatta or gluten-free
- 1 avocado
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, salt, pepper and ¼ cup cheddar cheese. You may need to use your hand to get in evenly combined. Let stand (see cooking tips section above for reasons).
- Heat a medium skillet or non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Add bacon strips, cook for 3–4 minutes without touching. Rotate and cook other side 2–3 minutes, or until slightly crispy. Remove from heat, drain off excess oil, and break bacon into chunks.
- Divide meat mixture in half for each burger. Press about 2/3 off one half into the burger press (it should be almost full). Press top mold to create an open center. You may need to practice a couple times to get the right amount (see animated photo above for help). Fill one burger with 1/8 cup cheese, and half of cooked bacon and jalapeño. Top with more meat and use burger press to seal top down. Remove and repeat steps for second burger.
- Preheat barbecue (I used gas) to medium-high. Lightly grease grill slats with oil; this helps prevent sticking. Place patties onto grill, close, and cook first side for 4–6 minutes. It should release from the grill and have grill marks. Flip and cook other side for 4–6 minutes until cooked to desire doneness. With those times it should be just over medium. If you're used to using your fingers to test firmness, the stuffed center makes it more squishy, so be sure to not overcook.
- Grill hamburger buns if desired. Mash avocado in a bowl. Place burger patties in buns, top with avocado and enjoy the best juiciest burger.
Are you excited to try this a what’s your favorite type of burger?
Delicious and easy to have ingredients on hand. I will definitely make again!!
Damn this is one good looking burger Matt!! It makes me want to make one right now. I love how appealing it looks and it definitely ticks the category of ‘burger urger’, great work, I look forward to trying it!! Cheers
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback Adrianne! That’s so nice to hear and hope you try it soon.
This is a good hamburger, so much better that those smothered in high sugar sauces. The avocardo butter is a winner too!
This looks incredibly delicious, I’ll be making this for a 4th of July cookout. Thank you for this recipe, Matt!
So has anybody actually tried it as opposed to just saying how great it looks? Just curious.
allmost like mine I jis ad my bacon on top of the burger
You’ve got so much goodness stuffed in that burger. I love the idea of stuffing it inside instead of putting it on top.
It’s adds so much flavor and is a super fun way to enjoy a burger. Thanks Christine!
Oh man does this look awesome. That is one loaded burger! Love all your tips for the perfect burger!
It’s about as loaded as you can get. Thanks Liz! Glad the tips were helpful.
Now, that’s a great looking burger! Making me so hungry!
Wow, what a burger!
Thanks Steph!
I love your tip about adding a bit of cheese to the meat itself – that’s a great idea! My husband would LOVE a burger like this one!
It does make a huge difference. I picked that tip up during one of my family meals growing up. You can add it to eggs before you cook for the same effect.
I looooove a good stuffed burger, and this one looks AWESOME!
Thanks Brandon! I’m a huge fan too and honestly wish I made them more. Thanks for stopping by! It’s nice to hear from a fellow guy food blogger. Looking forward to keeping in touch.
Stuffed burgers are so much fun! I haven’t made them in forever, but I’m inspired to now. So delicious!
Thanks Faith! They are super fun! And there’s pretty much an endless combination of stuffings you can add. Bacon and blue cheese, or roasted red pepper and goat cheese are other favorites of mine.
This looks sooooo good and I want to just take a bite! This is a must-make very soon!
Thanks for the comment Carol! Hope you do make them soon! Father’s Day is just around the corner, that could be perfect.
That’s a great looking burger! Perfect for summer!
Thanks Cynthia! Summer and grilling are perfect for each other.
I’m not a burger gal, but my husband and son would flip if I made these! Maybe I’ll have to try them on Father’s Day!
Hi Christina! I’m sure they would! It’d be a nice little Father’s Day bonus
Oh geez, that looks so good! I’m adding it to my “must make” list!
Thanks Cheryl! Hope you like it
Oh my goodness, this looks DIVINE!!! I’m a sucker for a stuffed burger especially when bacon is involved, I have to make these!
Thanks for the comment Annie! It’s pretty hard to resist a bacon stuffed burger. Glad you like it!
Oh my word, that looks so delicous!
Thanks Anne!
Love not only the recipe, but all the background behind it. I always find it so helpful to know why and how ingredients and techniques work the way they do. And LOVE the animation video – so fun!
Thanks Kate! I enjoy getting into the details of a recipe and glad you like the animation!
Wowza! Now that’s a burger my family would love to sink their teeth into! I’ve only made a stuffed burger once or twice, but now I see you have perfected the technique. Nice job!
Hi Laura! Thanks for the comment and I hope your family does enjoy! They do take a bit of practice but it’s oh so worth it.
Your burger stuffing technique looks so handy! This looks so freaking delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Mary! I’m glad it looks so freaking delicious to you! That’s what I was going for. That burger press is very fun, and makes it so much easier for perfectly sized and shaped burgers.
Your ingredients and cooking tips are so helpful. Never thought about stuffed burgers, but it’s a great idea. I just got some sharp cheddar cheese too – perfect for 4th of July
Thanks Natalie! I’m glad you found the tips helpful. That’s what I’m going for. Plus with a recipe like this you have to clearly explain everything so you can replicate it.
Best looking burger I’ve ever seen!!!! YUM
Hi Lisa! Thanks for the comment and I hope it’s the best burger you’ve ever had!
Amazing recipe as always! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
As always thanks for checking out my recipes and the nice comments Aimee 🙂
YUM’d! This looks delicious. A definite must try! Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We’d love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN. http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/06/04/home-matters-linky-party-40/ 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Thanks for the comment and the invite Lorelai! I’ll definitely stop by!
I have been meaning to make a ‘stuffed’ burger for a while, I think you may have pushed me off the ledge!
Hi Brian. You definitely should. They’re a fun way to enjoy a more unique burger. I’m surprised I haven’t seen a restaurant that specializes in these.
What a brilliant idea for making a burger. I LOVE that little animation video. It is so cool. You take very alluring photos.
Thanks Rini! That animated photo is pretty fun. I’ve done them for a few recipes where it helps to show the steps. My brown sugar caramel cookie cups benefit from this.
Please make one for me! This burger looks incredible. Now I’m craving it and have to make it this weekend. I love the avocado on it too. This is going to be a hit with my family.
Hi Meagan! I totally would make this for you, but then there’s just the issue of shipping it. I agree it’s best if you make it. Hope the instructions and cooking tips are perfect for replicating. Also hope it’s a hit with the family!
Wow! That burger looks amazing – I love the cheese center and your tips for cooking it!
Thanks April! I really wanted to explain the recipe for my readers, so they learn why each ingredient and step creates this perfect burger.