Description

This BBQ Bourbon Burger recipe offers a smoky, sweet, and savory flavor combination perfect for a hearty meal. Featuring a homemade bourbon glaze and burger sauce, juicy grilled beef patties with a hint of garlic and Worcestershire sauce, and optional crispy bacon, these burgers are perfectly toasted and topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, and red onion for the ultimate backyard BBQ experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Burger Sauce

6 tablespoons mayo
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt & pepper (to taste)

Bourbon Glaze

6 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Burger Patties

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt & pepper (to taste)

Additional Ingredients

4-6 strips bacon (optional)
4 burger buns
Butter (for toasting buns)
Lettuce (to taste)
Tomato (to taste)
Red onion (to taste)

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Instructions

Prepare the burger sauce: Combine the mayo, BBQ sauce, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl using a spoon. Mix well and refrigerate until needed to let the flavors meld.
Make the bourbon glaze: In another small bowl, mix bourbon, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Set aside for glazing during cooking.
Cook the bacon: Fry the bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside on paper towels to drain excess fat.
Preheat the grill: Heat your grill to high heat to get ready for grilling the burgers.
Form the burger patties: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, minced garlic, Italian breadcrumbs, egg, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands to avoid overworking the meat. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a patty, making a small divot in the center to ensure even cooking.
Grill the burgers: Lower grill heat to medium-high. Place patties on the grill and baste each with the bourbon glaze. Grill for approximately 6 minutes, depending on thickness. Flip the patties, baste again with glaze, and cook another 6 minutes or until fully cooked through.
Toast the buns: Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Butter the inside halves of the burger buns and place them cut-side down on the skillet. Toast for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Alternatively, you can toast them on the grill.
Assemble the burgers: Spread the prepared burger sauce on the toasted buns, add the grilled bourbon-glazed patties, then layer with crispy bacon (if using), lettuce, sliced tomato, and red onion. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Make sure not to over-handle the ground beef mixture to keep the burgers tender.
The divot in the burger patties helps prevent them from puffing up while grilling.
Bourbon glaze can be adjusted for sweetness by varying the brown sugar amount to taste.
For a smoky flavor, consider using smoked BBQ sauce.
If you prefer, the burgers can be cooked on a stovetop grill pan instead of an outdoor grill.
Optional crispy bacon adds extra texture and flavor but can be omitted for a lighter version.
Toast buns close to serving time to keep them warm and crisp.