Sandbar Cheeseburger* Recipe

Form patties

Divide the 1 lb ground beef into 4 equal portions (about 4 oz each). Gently form into patties about 3.5 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick, making a slight indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent doming while cooking. Do not overwork the meat. Season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Cook patties

Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and let it melt and foam. Add patties (work in a single layer; cook in two batches if needed). Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, place a cheddar slice (1 slice per patty) on each patty, cover the pan with a lid for about 1 minute to melt the cheese. Aim for medium doneness; adjust time +/- 1 minute for rarer or more well-done.

Prepare bacon

While patties rest, dice 6 slices of bacon into 1/4-inch pieces. Add them to a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel, reserving about 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet. If you have less fat, add 1 tsp olive oil.

Caramelize onions

Thinly slice 1 large yellow onion. Add the sliced onion to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat and 1 tsp olive oil if needed. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, until onions are soft and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. If onions stick, add 1-2 tablespoons water to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits.

Finish marmalade

When onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until mixture is jammy and slightly reduced. Stir in the cooked bacon pieces, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Toast buns

Split 4 sesame buns. Butter the cut sides with 1 tablespoon butter total (about 1/2 tsp per bun half). Toast buttered sides in a clean skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Prepare vegetables

While buns toast, slice the tomato into 4 rounds and rinse/dry 4 lettuce leaves.

Assemble burgers

Place the bottom bun on a plate, add a lettuce leaf, then the cheeseburger patty with melted cheddar. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of bacon-onion marmalade over the cheese. Add tomato slice and 2 pickle slices. Top with the toasted bun. Serve immediately.