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Thick Cut Bacon Smash Burger

Thick Cut Bacon Smash Burger with shatteringly crisp, lacy-edged patties, melty American cheese, and smoky bacon. Finished in under 20 minutes using a hot cast iron skillet, with caramelized onions, burger sauce, and a steamed-toast brioche bun.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 830
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Burger Patties
  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Thick Cut Bacon
  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon about ¼-inch thick
Assembly
  • 4 slices American cheese or cheddar
  • 2 buns brioche burger buns
  • 0.5 small yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter for onions + bun toasting
  • 1 iceberg lettuce leaves
  • 2 slices ripe tomato 2–3 slices
  • 1 sliced dill pickles
Smash Burger Sauce
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sweet pickle relish
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp
  • 0.25 tsp onion powder ¼ tsp

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the smash burger sauce
  1. Mix mayonnaise, yellow mustard, ketchup, white wine vinegar, sweet pickle relish, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
Cook bacon and caramelize onions
  1. Cook thick-cut bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy at the edges but still slightly chewy in the center. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  2. Leave 1 tbsp bacon fat in the pan, then add unsalted butter and onion slices to the same skillet over medium-low heat. Cook 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelized, then remove and set aside.
Toast buns
  1. Increase cast iron to high heat until it begins to smoke lightly, then toast brioche burger buns cut-side down in a separate pan with butter for 1–2 minutes until golden. Set aside.
Smash and sear the patties
  1. Season 80/20 ground beef balls with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Working in batches, place one ball on the hot cast iron and immediately press down hard with a flat spatula or burger press for 10–15 seconds to smash into a thin wide patty.
  2. Cook the patty undisturbed for 2–2.5 minutes until the edges are lacy, crispy, and deep brown, then season the top with a pinch of salt. Flip once.
  3. Immediately lay American cheese on top and cook for 30–45 seconds until melted with edges sizzling and caramelized. Keep patties hot for assembly.
Assemble and serve
  1. Spread burger sauce on both bun halves, add iceberg lettuce leaves and ripe tomato to the bottom bun, and stack two smashed patties. Top with caramelized onions, cross two strips of thick-cut bacon, add sliced dill pickles, and finish with the sauced top bun.
  2. Serve immediately while the cheese is still molten and the patties are hot and crispy.

Notes

For the crispiest lacy edges, smash firmly and don’t move the patties while they sear (2–2.5 minutes). Refrigerate the sauce up to 3 days; cooked bacon and caramelized onions keep 3–4 days. Freeze patties only after cooking, but best results come from assembling and eating right away. For a lower-fat option, use 90/10 ground beef and expect a slightly less greasy, less crisp outcome.