South Bama Burger Recipe

Render and caramelize bacon

Place diced bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy but not burnt, about 8–10 minutes. Remove roughly half of the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.

Sweat onion and garlic

Add the finely chopped onion to the bacon fat in the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Finish jam

Return reserved crispy bacon to the pan. Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, water, and black pepper. Stir and simmer gently, scraping browned bits from the pan, until mixture is syrupy and thickened, about 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust sweet/tang balance. Remove from heat and let cool slightly — jam will thicken more as it cools.

Combine mayonnaise, finely minced seeded jalapeño, lime juice, grated garlic, smoked paprika, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or salt. Refrigerate until ready to assemble (can be made ahead and chilled up to 48 hours).

Prepare tomato slices

Pat tomato slices dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with a pinch of the salt and pepper.

Set up dredging station

Place flour in one shallow dish. In a second dish whisk together cornmeal and remaining salt and pepper. In a third dish whisk buttermilk and beaten egg together until combined.

Dredge and fry

Heat 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Coat each tomato slice first in flour (shake off excess), then dip in the buttermilk-egg, then press into the cornmeal mixture to coat. Fry in batches 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain and keep warm.

Form patties

Divide ground beef into two equal portions and gently form into 3/4-inch thick patties slightly wider than the buns. Do not overwork the meat. Make a shallow dimple in the center of each patty with your thumb to reduce puffing while cooking.

Season

Season both sides of each patty with kosher salt, black pepper and a light sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce.

Cook patties

Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil is hot and shimmering, add patties. Cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes until a brown crust forms. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more. In the last 1 minute of cooking, place a slice of sharp cheddar onto each patty and cover the pan briefly (or tent with foil) to melt cheese. Remove patties and let rest 2 minutes.

Toast buns

Spread butter on cut sides of brioche buns and toast on the griddle or in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes per side. Keep warm.

To assemble each South Bama Burger: spread 1–2 tablespoons jalapeño aioli on the bottom bun, place a lettuce leaf if using, set the cheddar-topped patty on top, spoon 1–2 tablespoons bacon jam over the cheese, place a fried green tomato slice on the jam, add pickles if desired, then top with the other bun half smeared with a little extra aioli. Serve immediately.

Estimated plating tip: serve with fries or a simple slaw and a small ramekin of extra bacon jam or aioli for dipping.