The Ultimate Bacon-Wrapped Burger

Name: The Ultimate Bacon-Wrapped Burger
Ingredients: one 1/4-pound patty of ground beef, 96 percent lean, 4 percent fat; 5 slices bacon, cut in half lengthwise; 1 sesame seed bun; garnishes such as a tomato slice, red onion slices, and lettuce; potato chips, for serving; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Anne Dolce|May 24, 2013 11:16 am EST

2.4 (19 ratings)

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Here you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the ultimate bacon-wrapped burger. This isn’t just some burger with one slice of bacon wrapped around its sides, but it’s a perfectly weaved and wrapped bacon burger, cooked to perfection both inside and out.

Servings

1

Ingredients

one 1/4-pound patty of ground beef, 96 percent lean, 4 percent fat
5 slices bacon, cut in half lengthwise
1 sesame seed bun
garnishes such as a tomato slice, red onion slices, and lettuce
potato chips, for serving
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Season the burger patty with salt and pepper, to taste. Lay 5 halved slices of bacon out on a workstation vertically. Basket-weave the other 5 slices with the 5 on the workstation, making sure the weave is centered and each piece of bacon is equal in length.
Place the seasoned patty on top of the weave, using your hands to compress the patty so that it does not go beyond the bacon. Starting with the vertical-facing slices, pull each end up and over the patty so that they meet in the middle. Begin weaving the horizontal slices into the vertical ones, lifting some slices and tucking the ends into others so that it resembles a near-perfect basket weave and it stays together well. Season both sides of the bacon-wrapped patty with a little bit of pepper.
Preheat the grill.
For a medium-rare burger: Preheat the grill to about 325 degrees. Add the burger, weaker side down, onto the grill and leave untouched until the bottom part has been seared together and the bacon is a crisp golden brown, about 15 minutes. Flip, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes. Uncover, and let the burger cook until both sides of the bacon-wrapped burger are golden brown and crisp, and the burger is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, about 10 minutes more.
For a rare burger: Preheat the grill to about 350 degrees. Add the burger, weaker side down, onto the grill and leave untouched until the bottom part has been seared together and the bacon is a crisp golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes. Uncover, and let the burger cook until both sides of the bacon-wrapped burger are golden brown and crisp, and the burger is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 120-130 degrees, about 5 more minutes.
Using tongs, turn the burger and place it on a new part of the grill, searing off the bacon on the sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the burger from the grill and blot the bacon with a paper towel (optional). Place on a bun and top with a slice of tomato, a few red onion slices, and lettuce. Add potato chips, if you dare.