Make Bacon Cheeseburgers Even Better With One Simple Step

Bacon reigns supreme as one of the best burger toppings. The succulent, fatty strips are the perfect salty companion to a beef, lamb, or poultry burger. Just adding a few slices of crispy bacon alone isn't enough. You'll want your burger to ooze bacon in more ways than one, which means that you'll have to get creative with how you add that flavor to other parts of your sandwich. One easy, simple way to start is by looking at your bun.

Pan-frying your buns in the leftover bacon grease is one way to bacon-ify this integral part of your sandwich. It's important to note that this cooking method doesn't overwhelm your bun with a meaty flavor profile; it also ensures that your bun has a protective layer from soggy condiments like ketchup and mustard. All you need to do is bring that grease up to temperature and plop your bun into the pan until it starts to brown on both sides. Then, to remove that greasy residue and crisp up the edges of your bun, transfer it to a hot oven. When you open those doors a few minutes later, you'll be rewarded with a deliciously toasty and flavorful roll for your patty and the mountain of bacon that will go on top of it. 

Toasting your buns in bacon grease is only one of the ways you can infuse the bacon's signature umami flavor into other parts of your sandwich. You can also try cooking your other toppings in bacon grease to tie in that meatiness. One topping where this would work particularly well is with a fried egg. Start by carefully cracking your egg into the pan with the leftover bacon grease; the fat will prevent the egg from sticking to the bottom of the pan, while also adding the perfect amount of saltiness. This egg and bacon combo will transform your patty into a tantalizing breakfast burger you can enjoy at any time of day. 

Caramelized onions are another topping that could really benefit from being cooked in bacon grease. Perfectly cooked caramelized onions can certainly take awhile to whip up, but the beautiful medley of sweet, slow-cooked onions intertwined with specks of bacon and full-bodied, meaty flavor would pair well with an array of other burger toppings, including blue cheese, onion rings, and barbecue sauce.

There are also some burger components that you shouldn't cook in bacon grease — and the patty is one of them. If you're using a meat that has ample fat already, like an 80/20 blend, you won't have to add any extra fat or grease to the pan. Otherwise, you'll risk a patty that's overwhelmingly greasy, especially when it's layered with a topping like bacon.