This All-American bacon cheeseburger is intentionally over the top: a seasoned chuck patty with Vermont cheddar, a smoked bacon-wrapped onion ring filled with Colby, shredded beef short ribs, and tangy burger sauce on toasted brioche.
The full recipe takes about 80 minutes and produces one extremely large showpiece burger, though 1 1/2 pounds of beef can be divided into two or three more manageable patties. Begin with the onion rings, then prepare the sauce, buns, and burgers while they smoke.
Ingredients for the All-American Bacon Cheeseburger
The burgers use 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground chuck, 3 tablespoons seasoned salt, brioche buns, Vermont cheddar slices, and mayonnaise for toasting. The 3-tablespoon measure is generous, so season the patty surfaces evenly and stop before they become heavily coated.
For the rings, use 2 sweet onions, an 8-to-10-ounce block of Colby cut into thin strips, bacon, and hickory smoke. Have 1/2 pound cooked shredded boneless short ribs ready. The sauce combines 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each ketchup and sweet relish, and 1 tablespoon each garlic whole-grain mustard and truffle-style hot sauce.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Steak and Shrimp Fried Rice.
How to Make the Loaded Bacon Cheeseburger
- Build the rings. Nest a smaller 1/4-inch-thick onion ring inside a larger one, pack the gap with thin Colby strips, and wrap tightly with about two bacon strips.
- Smoke. Heat the smoker to 350–375°F with hickory and cook the rings about 45 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and fully cooked.
- Mix the sauce. Stir mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, mustard, and hot sauce until smooth.
- Form patties. Shape 1/2-inch-thick portions without overworking and season both sides.
- Toast buns. Spread cut sides lightly with mayonnaise and brown on a griddle.
- Grill patties. Cook over high heat, flip once, top with Vermont cheddar, and finish to a safe internal temperature.
- Assemble. Sauce both buns, add a cheeseburger patty and smoked onion ring, pack shredded short rib into the ring center, and close.
- Serve. Rest the patty briefly but serve the assembled burger immediately.
For storage details after serving, the USDA leftovers and food safety guidance.
Prepare the Short Ribs First
The recipe begins with already cooked, tender short ribs. Smoke or braise them ahead until they shred easily, then refrigerate within two hours. On burger day, warm only the measured 1/2 pound while the onion rings cook.
Moist short rib is desirable, but excessive braising liquid makes the stack unstable. Drain lightly and shred into short strands that fit inside the onion-ring center without pulling out in one piece.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Chicken Crescent Braid.
Create a Cheese Pocket Between Two Rings
Slice sweet onions about 1/4 inch thick and separate intact circles. Pair a large ring with one slightly smaller, leaving an even channel between them. Fill that channel with 1/8-inch Colby strips.
Keep the cheese within the onion walls. Large chunks or gaps make it easier for melted cheese to escape. Build only as many rings as there are burgers, matching each ring to the bun and patty size.
Wrap the Rings Securely with Bacon
Use roughly two bacon strips per ring and overlap each turn slightly. The wrap holds the onions together as the Colby melts. Tuck the final end underneath or secure temporarily with a toothpick that will be removed before serving.
Cover the onion surface without building many thick bacon layers. A very heavy wrap can leave inner sections undercooked even when the outside looks brown.
Use Higher Heat in the Smoker
This component needs 350–375°F rather than traditional low-and-slow barbecue temperatures. The higher heat renders and crisps bacon during the approximately 45-minute cook while softening the onion and melting the cheese.
Set the rings where heat can circulate and turn them if one side colors much faster. If bacon browns before the onion is tender, move the rings to a cooler zone rather than lowering the entire smoker.
Mix a Balanced Burger Sauce
Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, whole-grain garlic mustard, and hot sauce while the rings smoke. The result should be creamy, tangy, lightly sweet, and gently spicy. A truffle-style hot sauce is the source choice, but another favorite can be used.
Begin with less hot sauce if its strength is unfamiliar. Refrigerate the sauce until assembly, and use a clean spoon that never touches raw beef.
Form Tender Chuck Patties
Divide the 80/20 chuck according to the number of burgers you plan to serve. Three half-pound patties are still generous and easier to eat than one 1 1/2-pound patty. Shape each about 1/2 inch thick without kneading the meat.
Season both surfaces evenly. Because cheddar, bacon, sauce, and short ribs all contribute salt, treat the listed seasoned salt as an available amount and apply it with restraint.
Toast the Brioche and Grill the Beef
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the cut sides of the brioche buns and toast until golden. This creates a flavorful moisture barrier without hardening the outside of the bread.
Cook patties on a hot griddle or grill, turning once. Add Vermont cheddar immediately after the flip and allow it to melt as the second side cooks. Ground beef should reach 160°F according to USDA guidance. Rest briefly on a clean plate.
Assemble a Stable Stack
Spread sauce on both toasted bun halves. Set the cheddar-topped patty on the bottom, center one smoked onion ring over it, and press warm shredded short rib into the opening. Keep the mound within the ring walls so the top bun sits level.
Close the burger and press only enough to settle the layers. A skewer can stabilize a tall presentation, but remove it or make it unmistakably visible before anyone takes a bite.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Cook the short ribs and mix the sauce a day ahead. The bacon-wrapped rings may also be cooked ahead, refrigerated, and reheated in a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes until crisp and hot. Grill patties close to serving.
Store every component separately and refrigerate cooked meat within two hours. Use leftovers within three days. Reheat beef and onion rings thoroughly, toast fresh buns, and assemble only when ready to eat.
Troubleshooting
- Cheese leaks from the ring: Use thin strips and pack them fully between intact onion circles.
- Bacon stays soft: Maintain 350–375°F and avoid excessively thick overlaps.
- Patty is dense: Shape gently and stop handling once it holds together.
- Bun becomes soggy: Toast the cut sides and drain excess short-rib liquid.
- Burger falls apart: Divide the beef into manageable patties and keep the short ribs inside the ring.
Conclusion
Fill nested onion rings with Colby, wrap in bacon, and smoke until crisp. Prepare burger sauce and short ribs, toast brioche, grill seasoned chuck patties to 160°F with cheddar, then stack every component and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make the bacon-wrapped rings without a smoker?
Yes. Bake at 375°F until the bacon is crisp and fully cooked, generally 30 to 40 minutes, checking thick overlaps.
- → How many burgers does the recipe make?
The source labels one very large burger, but 1 1/2 pounds of chuck can make two or three substantial patties. Divide the toppings accordingly.
- → Can I prepare components ahead?
Yes. Cook short ribs, mix sauce, and prepare the rings a day ahead. Reheat the rings in a hot oven and grill patties fresh.
- → What temperature should the burger reach?
Cook ground-beef patties to 160°F and verify the center with an instant-read thermometer.