Bac - O Jammin ' Smash Burger Recipe

Cook bacon

Dice 6 slices of thick-cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat until fat renders and pieces are crisp, 8–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet. Pour off excess fat if there's more than 2–3 tablespoons, leaving 1–2 tbsp.

Sweat onion and garlic

Add 1 finely diced yellow onion to the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden, 10–12 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Caramelize with sugar and deglaze

Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and cook 1–2 minutes to dissolve and caramelize slightly. Add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons water to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and stir to combine.

Simmer to jam consistency

Return the cooked bacon pieces to the skillet. Season with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to a jammy consistency, 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness with an extra 1 teaspoon vinegar or 1 teaspoon maple syrup if needed. Remove from heat and let cool slightly — bacon jam will thicken further as it cools.

Portion the beef

Divide 1 lb ground beef into four 4-ounce (approximately) loose balls. Do not overwork the meat; keep it loosely packed for tender patties.

Preheat griddle or skillet

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until very hot, about 4–5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and spread to coat.

Season and smash

Place two of the beef balls on the hot surface, spaced apart. Using a heavy spatula or a dedicated burger press, press each ball flat to about 1/4-inch thickness. Season immediately with a light pinch of salt and a little black pepper. Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes until the edges are deeply browned and juices start to collect on top.

Flip, cheese, and finish

Flip each patty and immediately place a slice of American cheese on each. Cook another 30–60 seconds until cheese begins to melt and patties are cooked through (thin smash patties cook quickly). Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining two beef balls to make two more patties so you have four thin patties total (the burger uses two per sandwich).

Toast rolls

Slice 2 King's Hawaiian sweet rolls and spread butter on cut sides. Wipe the skillet/griddle clean, reduce heat to medium-low, and toast the buttered cut sides until golden, about 1–2 minutes.

Assemble burger

On the bottom roll, place a lettuce leaf and a slice of tomato. Stack two hot smash patties (cheese-side up), then spoon 1–2 tablespoons of warm bacon jam over the patties. Add 2 slices of crispy bacon on top of the jam, then add the top patty stack if building differently or simply place the top roll. Close burger and press gently. Repeat to make a second burger.

Serve

Serve immediately while patties and bacon jam are warm. Provide extra bacon jam on the side if desired.