Juicy Bacon Smash Burger

I guarantee this will be the best bacon smash burger you have ever had. All done in 13 minutes!

This is not a typical North American burger. This delicious Bacon Smash Burger is inspired by the German Frikadellen my Father always made when I was growing up. Frikadellen are fried burgers made with combination of beef, pork, breadcrumbs, seasoning, and egg. My Father always described them as a cross between a burger and a meatloaf. They are thick, savoury, and delicious, and I plan to make another blog post dedicated to my Father’s recipe at some point. Although these delicious smashed burgers are inspired by those, they are definitely not the same.

These delicious burgers are hearty, savoury, and oh so delicious. The crisp bacon adds fat and salt to the burger patties, while the seasoning gives them extra flavour. The breadcrumbs add some nuttiness to the ground beef while the egg binds it all together. The crust from the cast iron pan adds a beautiful crunch and umami element to the burgers. These may not replace a traditional North American burger in your home, but I promise you that if you make them once you’ll be reaching for this recipe time and time again.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 5 minutes (while the bacon is cooking)
• Cooking Time – 13 minutes
• Total Time – 13 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR BACON SMASH BURGER

All the ingredients for these burgers are easy to source from any local grocer.

• 7 slices Bacon
• 8 Crimini mushrooms
• 1 lb Ground beef
• 2/3 tsp Onion powder
• 2/3 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp Chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 Large egg
• 4 slices Havarti cheese
• 4 Burger buns

WHAT ARE BACON SMASH BURGERS?

I’ve called these burgers Bacon Smash Burgers because of the way they are cooked. After these delicious burgers develop a beautiful crust on one side, they are flipped, then pressed down (smashed) with the back of a spatula creating a beautiful crisp outside. Many people would say never to press down on a burger because it causes the juices to escape and you risk ending up with a dry patty. Normally I would agree, however this burger is so juicy to begin with that even if you loose a bit it will still be delicious.

WHAT ARE CRIMINI MUSHROOMS?

Cremini mushrooms, also known as Baby Bellas, are small juvenile Portobello mushrooms. I prefer them to white mushrooms because they impart a beautiful nutty flavour.

CAN I MAKE THESE BURGERS ON THE BBQ?

You can definitely grill these burgers on the barbeque, but then you wouldn’t get the bacony crispy crust on the outside of these beautiful smashed burgers. They cook quickly and easily in a cast iron pan, and I’d recommend sticking with that method.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A CAST IRON PAN?

You can use a heavy stainless steel pan if you don’t have access to cast iron. It won’t work quite as well, but you will still get a delicious golden crust on your burgers.

CAN I MAKE THESE BURGERS WITHOUT BACON?

If you have dietary restrictions that prevent you from eating bacon, you could omit it from this recipe. However, bacon is obviously a huge part of this recipe and I wouldn’t recommend it.

WHAT SHOULD I TOP MY BACON SMASH BURGER WITH?

I like to top my burgers with bacon, mushrooms, havarti, pickled onions, tomato, and ketchup. I find that the tartness of the pickled onions really compliments the fattiness of the bacon and cheese. That said, these burgers are so delicious that you could serve them completely unadorned and they would still be wonderful. I suggest you use whatever burger toppings you prefer: this recipe includes both bacon and mushroom toppings in the ingredient list and cooking process.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE PANCETTA INSTEAD OF BACON?

If you wish, you could substitute pancetta for bacon but the taste will be different. Because pancetta is salt cured and dried, it has a different flavour than American style bacon. Good bacon is fatty, salty, and smoky. It’s these qualities that make bacon ideal for these delicious burgers.

CAN I USE OIL TO FRY THE BURGERS INSTEAD OF BACON FAT?

You could pour off the bacon fat after you finish cooking it. You could then fry the burgers in avocado oil, or an equally healthy oil. I say, why bother? These delicious burgers have chunks of crisp bacon inside the patty, so you’re not saving very many calories either way. In addition, you’re passing up on an opportunity to add even more delicious flavour to both your patties and your mushrooms: don’t do it!

HELP, I HATE MUSHROOMS!

Don’t worry. Just don’t use mushrooms.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT CHEESE THAN HAVARTI?

I like to use Havarti cheese in these burgers for several reasons: Havarti is often lactose free which is helpful for my husband, it melts extremely well, and it’s creamy and nutty which is beautiful on these salty savoury patties. That said, if you don’t like Havarti you can certainly substitute another cheese. I also like Extra Old Cheddar on these burgers.

EQUIPMENT FOR JUICY BACON SMASH BURGERS

Cooking With Carbs is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but all of the equipment listed on this site is recommended without incentive and are products I strongly believe in.

Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Bacon Smash Burgers:

• Cast Iron Pan

• Spatula

• Cutting Board

• Chef’s Knife

BACON SMASH BURGER COOKING DIRECTIONS

These Juicy Bacon Smash Burgers are absolutely delicious and quite simple to make. You can make them in under 15 minutes, making them a great quick meal. Although they are easy to prepare, there are a few tips to make them spectacular.

1. Always use good quality ground beef and bacon.
2. Use a cast iron pan on a high heat to get a great crust on your burger.
3. Use a cheese that melts well.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

You can prepare the burger patties the day before and keep them covered in the fridge, just make sure the chopped bacon is completely cooled before adding it to the ground beef. I would also recommend only cooking the slices needed for the patties, and cooking the rest the next day when you plan to cook and serve the burgers.

Although you can refrigerate the leftover burgers, I wouldn’t recommend it as they wouldn’t taste as good.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy these Juicy and Quick Bacon Smash burgers.

OTHER DISHES WITH BACON OR BEEF

Beef Soft Shell Taco

Braised Beef Brisket

Chicken and Bacon Orzo

OTHER QUICK MEALS

Black Bean Enchiladas with Saffron Rice

Flavourful Pancetta Pesto Pasta

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.

Pin the image below if you would like to make this recipe later!

Did you try this Juicy Bacon Smash Burger? Please let us know in the comments below!