Virgil’s Bacon Cheeseburger Recipe

There is just something soul-satisfying about a properly grilled burger with all the trimmings. It’s an awfully simple thing to make, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go ahead and make the best one in the world. We think we’ve done that by paying attention to all the little details in our recipe. We use just salt and pepper to season the meat, because a great hamburger lets the taste of the meat shine through. For the same reason, you shouldn’t use lean chuck for your burgers, because the fat provides a lot of rich flavor and helps keep the burger moist. The other secret to a world-class beef patty is to not overwork it. Put it on a hot grill, flip once, and call it a day. We slide ours onto a sesame brioche bun that provides the perfect stage for all that meaty goodness.

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 8 ounces ground chuck
• 2 slices bacon, cooked crisp
• 1 slice cheddar cheese
• 1 sesame brioche bun
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 leaf Boston bib lettuce
• 1 thin slice red onion
• 1 slice ripe beefsteak tomato
• 4 kosher pickle chips

Directions

1. Mix the salt and pepper into the beef using your hands. Form a patty but don’t overwork it.
2. Preheat the grill on high. Place the patty on the grill and cook to desired temp (160°F is recommended by the USDA, although medium-rare is 140°F to 150°F), about 4 minutes each side. Only flip the burger once and whatever you do … don’t press the burger!
3. While the burger is cooking, slice the bun and open it up. Generously butter each side and lightly grill to toast.
4. Add the cheese on top of the burger and let it melt. Remove the bun and burger, and assemble the burger from the bottom up: lettuce, tomato, onion, burger, sliced bacon, pickles, and the top of the bun.