This is a straightforward beef and bacon burger built from scratch — seasoned mince, caramelised onions, crispy bacon, and melted cheddar on a toasted bun. It takes 30 minutes start to finish and makes two generous burgers at 634 calories each. The real reason to make it: the patties and onions both store well, so one cook session can cover several meals.
Before you start
Two things determine whether this burger works. First, the onions need real time — medium heat, 10 to 15 minutes minimum. Rushing them on high heat gives you browned but still-sharp onion, not the soft, sweet result you want. Second, keep the patty mix cold until it hits the pan. Warm mince sticks to your hands, falls apart when you shape it, and shrinks unevenly during cooking. Mix, shape, and refrigerate the patties for at least 10 minutes before cooking — this also means you can shape them the night before and have them ready to go straight from the fridge.
Smart swaps
- Minced beef fat content: Use 15–20% fat mince (often labelled 80/20). Leaner mince dries out fast in a pan and won’t hold together as well without added fat.
- Chorizo swap: The recipe notes chorizo as an optional bacon substitute. Sliced cooking chorizo works; cured chorizo is too dry and oily for this purpose.
- Tomato purée: This is tomato paste in US labelling — the thick, concentrated stuff in a tube or small tin, not tomato sauce or passata.
- Cheddar: Any semi-hard melting cheese works — Monterey Jack, Colby, or Gruyère all melt cleanly. Pre-sliced processed cheese melts faster if that’s what you have.
Keeping and reheating
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days — separate them with parchment so they don’t stick together. The caramelised onions store just as well and are arguably better on day two. To reheat, put the patty in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side; a splash of water and a lid for the last minute helps keep it from drying out. Avoid the microwave if you can — it steams the patty and softens the crust. For freezing, wrap raw shaped patties individually in cling film, then bag them; they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. Ground beef patties must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — use a meat thermometer if you’re not sure.
If something goes sideways
- Patties puff up in the middle: The meat is contracting unevenly. Press a shallow thumb indent into the centre of each raw patty before it goes in the pan — this keeps them flat as they cook.
- Patties falling apart in the pan: The mix was too warm or too wet when shaped. Chill them for 10 minutes before cooking. Also check that you’re not moving them too early — let a crust form before you attempt to flip, usually around the 3–4 minute mark.
- Onions burning before they soften: The heat is too high or the pan is too dry. Add a small splash of water to the pan and drop to low-medium heat. They’ll steam-soften without catching.
- Cheese not melting in the oven step: Oven temperature varies. If the cheese isn’t melted after 5 minutes, switch to the grill/broiler for 60–90 seconds and watch it closely.
- Bacon staying floppy: Too much moisture in the pan. Don’t crowd the bacon — cook in a single layer and pour off rendered fat halfway through so the bacon fries rather than steams.
Old-School Beef and Bacon Burger (30-Minute Recipe)
Equipment
- Large non-stick frying pan (12-inch / 30cm)
- Mixing bowl (large)
- Burger press (optional — for uniform patties)
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Sharp knife and chopping board
- Baking tray (for melting cheese in the oven)
Ingredients
- ½ lb minced beef about 250g, 80/20 or 85/15 lean
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée 15g
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 7ml
- 1 large egg
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced, about 300g / 10.5oz
- 1 small handful mixed salad leaves about 30g / 1oz
- 4 rashers streaky bacon
- 1 oz chorizo thinly sliced, optional — in addition to or instead of bacon, about 30g
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- 2 whole brioche burger buns or sesame seed buns, halved
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the beef mince, finely minced garlic, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix until just combined using your hands — avoid over-mixing or the patties will become dense and tough.½ lb minced beef, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato purée, ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Slice the onions into thin half-moons. Add them to a non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a small knob of butter or drizzle of oil. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, golden, and sweet. Season lightly with salt.2 medium onions
- Divide the mixture in half and shape into 2 flat patties about 1cm (½ inch) thick and slightly wider than your buns — they will shrink during cooking. Press a shallow dimple into the centre of each patty with your thumb to prevent puffing. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat or turn on the BBQ. Cook the patties for 4–5 minutes on each side over medium-high heat until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C. Do not press down on the patties — this squeezes out the juices.
- In the meantime, fry the bacon in a pan (or the same pan as burgers) until nice and crisp.4 rashers streaky bacon
- Place the patties on the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Top each with a slice of cheddar, the caramelised onions, crispy bacon, sliced tomato, and salad leaves. Place on a baking tray and put into the oven at 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced) for 3–5 minutes until the cheese has melted. Add the top bun halves and serve immediately.2 slices cheddar cheese, 2 medium onions, 4 rashers streaky bacon, 1 medium tomato, 1 small handful mixed salad leaves, 2 whole brioche burger buns
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make the patties ahead of time?
Yes — shaped raw patties keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Stack them with a piece of parchment between each one so they don’t stick, cover the container, and cook straight from cold.
How do I know when the patties are fully cooked?
Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C) internal temperature — the only reliable way to check is a meat thermometer. At 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat in a pan, a standard-thickness patty usually hits that mark, but thickness varies so don’t rely on time alone.
Can I cook these from frozen?
Thaw them in the fridge overnight first for the best result. Cooking straight from frozen is possible but the outside overcooks before the centre reaches a safe temperature, especially with a thicker patty.
Do I need a burger press?
No — your hands work fine. Wet them slightly with cold water before shaping to stop the mince sticking, and aim for patties about ¾ inch thick and slightly wider than your bun since they shrink during cooking.
Can I double the batch and freeze the extras?
Absolutely, and it’s worth doing. Shape all the patties, freeze them raw on a baking sheet until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a zip-lock bag — they’ll keep for 3 months and you can pull out exactly as many as you need.
What’s the best way to stop the bun going soggy?
Toast the cut sides of the bun in the same pan before assembling — 60 seconds on medium heat is enough. A toasted surface creates a barrier so the juices from the patty and onions don’t soak straight through.
If you liked this one
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- BBQ Cheeseburger Recipe