Barbecue beef and bacon burger

I love a good burger and this is, in my opinion, a great burger. I know it says cook time of 1 hour, but that is mainly for the bacon onion jam, so make that in advance when you have spare time, then you will be able to throw this together pretty quickly.

Serves 1

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 250 g beef mince
• 2 slices American cheddar cheese
• 1 sesame seed brioche bun, halved and lightly toasted
• 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, or to taste
• French fries, to serve (optional, ­page­17)

Bacon onion jam

• 200 g streaky bacon, diced
• 3 large brown onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. To make the bacon onion jam, place the bacon in a large frying pan over ­low heat. Cook for 10–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the bacon render out its fat and become crispy. Remove the bacon from the ­pan and set aside, leaving as much fat as possible in the pan.
2. Add the onion and salt to the bacon fat. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20–40 minutes, until the onions are deeply caramelised and very soft. If the onion begins to stick to the pan, deglaze with a small splash of water and continue cooking until the water evaporates.
3. Stir in the sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for another 5–10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and the sugar caramelises.
4. Stir in the crispy bacon pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Let the jam cool to room temperature and store it in the fridge until ­you’re ready to use it.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay ­the bacon onto the prepared tray and bake for about 12 minutes or­ until crispy. Set aside.
6. Divide the beef mince into two equal portions, shaping each into a loose ball (don’t overwork the meat). Heat a large cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Place one beef ball into the pan and immediately smash it flat using a spatula or a heavy object (like another pan) to create a thin patty. Season generously with salt. After about 2­minutes, flip the patty and immediately place a slice of cheese on top. Cook for an additional 1–2 minutes until the cheese has melted and the patty is fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second­ patty.
7. Spread barbecue sauce on the bottom half of the bun. Place both beef patties on top followed by the slices of crispy bacon. Add a spoonful of bacon onion jam, then top with the other half of the brioche bun.
8. Serve with a side of French fries or eat it as is.

Tip: Bacon onion jam can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months.