This juicy Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Balsamic Mayo features the briny flavor of crumbled blue cheese, crisp bacon, and the sharp tang of balsamic vinegar!
I would probably put blue cheese and bacon in my Cheerios if I had the chance. I am a firm believer that everything tastes better with a little moldy cheese and a slice of meat saturated in more smoke than a firefighter. Though blue cheese and bacon in breakfast cereal may have a questionable ring to some, my bacon blue cheese burger with balsamic mayo certainly should not!
This Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Balsamic Mayo is an old classic of mine that I have been making for years. As a matter of fact, it was one of my menu items when I briefly operated a food truck.
Crafting the perfect patty
Every great burger starts with the best beef patty. As always, use fresh ground meat that wasn't already compacted and squeezed into packaging tubes at the grocery store. 80/20 beef, in particular, has the perfect amount of fat.
Separate the meat into ⅓ pound chunks and gently form it into a rough ball, without compacting it. Then press firmly down with a flat object, such as a burger press, or flat bottomed plate.
Choosing the right bun
The secret to really making this burger taste as good as any restaurant has got to be using a quality bun. I have been known to stop by local restaurants to ask if I can just purchase four of their brioche buns to use for my homemade burgers!
However, the buns used in this recipe are pretzel buns I purchased from the bakery department at my local grocery store. It isn’t enough just to use good buns, the cut side must be buttered and lightly toasted. Not only does this provide additional flavor and texture, the heat also serves to lighten the bun so it isn’t as chewy to bite through.
Toppings
Obviously, you want a generous helping of crumbled blue cheese to top your burgers, as well as a good quality thick-cut bacon. Beyond this, I recommend red onion and green leaf lettuce, as those both play well with the flavor of blue cheese.
Sauteed onions, pickled onions, or even caramelized onions would be a flavorful addition if you are up for a little extra work.
The Sauce
My all-time favorite condiment to slather on bacon blue cheese burgers is a tangy balsamic mayo. This creamy sauce is a mixture of mayo, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper. Mayonaise provides the creaminess, but the vinegar provides much-needed acidity to cut through the richness of this burger. A few shakes of black pepper adds just the right amount of bite.
Equipment needed to make burgers
When making my own burger patties from scratch I always use a cheap burger press and wax paper. The burger press is important because not only does it flatten the burger more evenly, but it also allows you to shape the burger with less effort. The more you have to work the meat, the tougher your burger will be. The wax paper allows you to easily store the patties, or prevent them from sticking to your hand as you place them in the pan.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not press the burger patty as it is cooking. This will expel the juice from the meat and create a dry burger.
- Buttering the inside of your bun prior to toasting will add color, flavor, and texture. This is safest to do face down in a skillet, rather than using a toaster oven.
- Resting the burger for a couple of minutes prior to serving will allow the juices to redistribute in the patty so they don't all spill out on the first bite.
FAQs
Watch for fuzzy growth on your blue cheese, which can indicate it has gone bad. Also, smell it to see if it has taken on the aroma of ammonia.
I recommend topping your burger with blue cheese, bacon, green leaf lettuce, red onion, and a balsamic mayo.
Yes, blue cheese can melt, but it holds its shape well. When placed on top of a burger it will soften and turn wonderfully creamy.
More Recipes with Blue Cheese
Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Balsamic Mayo
Ingredients
- 1 pretzel bun sliced
- ⅓ pound 80/20 hamburger flatted and shaped into a patty
- 1 slice of bacon cut in half
- 2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
- 1 leaf green leaf lettuce
- 1 slice Red Onion thinly sliced
- Butter
Balsamic Mayo (enough for 4 burgers)
- ¼ cup Mayo
- ¾ tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 4 grinds of fresh ground pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon till crispy and set aside.
- Place hamburger patty in hot skillet and cook on medium high until the top of the patty starts deepening in color, then flip.
- Add crumbled blue cheese to patty and top with slices of bacon and cook the patty to the desired doneness. Cooking time will vary depending on patty thickness and skillet temperature.
- While patty is cooking, butter the inside of the buns and lightly toast them face down in a separate skillet.
- To assemble, place green leaf lettuce on bottom bun, topped with onion, then burger patty, blue cheese, and bacon. Add ~1 tbsp balsamic mayo to the top bun and cover!
Balsamic Mayo
- Combine all ingredients and mix. More or less pepper can be added to taste.
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