Chef Devin’s Bacon Cheeseburger Recipe

Yes, a bacon cheeseburger. If you buy 96% lean beef and reduced-fat bacon pieces, you’re good to go! Do note, if you’re a fan of BBQ bacon cheeseburgers, just swap out the ketchup in this recipe for your favorite barbecue sauce. It will add about 10 calories but save you around 15 mg sodium.

Look for the bacon pieces near the croutons and other salad ingredients in your favorite grocery store. Or, if you love them as much as I do, head to Costco and buy them in a big bag. Just store them in your refrigerator and you’ll have them on hand to curb a bacon craving with less guilt.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces 96% lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons 50% reduced-fat real bacon pieces (I used Hormel 50% Reduced-Fat Real Bacon Pieces)
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• Salt, to taste
• 1 (about 31/2-inch-diameter) whole-wheat or whole-grain hamburger bun
• 1/2 ounce light Swiss cheese slivers
• 1 small leaf green lettuce
• 3 (1/4-inch-thick) slices plum tomato
• 1 tablespoon ketchup or barbecue sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill to high.

2. In a small bowl, mix the beef, bacon, and onion until well combined. Shape the beef into a patty about 1/2 inch larger in diameter than the bun. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the patty with salt. Grill the burger 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare or until desired doneness is reached. (Do not smash the burger with a spatula.) Just before the burger is done, place the bun halves, insides face down, on a top grill rack or away from open flame to toast them. Add the cheese atop the patty to melt, 15 to 30 seconds.

3. Place the toasted bun bottom on a plate. Add the burger patty, the lettuce, and the tomato slices. Spread the ketchup or barbecue sauce over the inside of the bun top and flip it atop the burger. Serve immediately.

Bacon Cheeseburger is from Chef Devin Alexander’s I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fattening.