Bacon Cheeseburgers with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce

Name: Bacon Cheeseburgers with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 teaspoon vegetable oil; 2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips; 1 yellow onion, about 5 ounces, finely chopped (2/3 cup); 1 clove garlic, minced; 0.25 cup bourbon; 1 cup ketchup; 0.25 cup water; 3 tablespoon cider vinegar; 3 tablespoon unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap); 2 tablespoon dark steak sauce; 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard; 1 teaspoon liquid smoke; 0.5 teaspoon hot pepper sauce; 8 slices bacon, cooked; 1.5 pound ground chuck (80% lean); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 4 ounce smoked cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced; 4 hamburger buns, split; 4 leaves romaine lettuce; 8 slices ripe tomato (1 large); 2 large handfulls hickory or mesquite wood chips (optional, see note)

Instructions

Cook:55min

This splurge of a burger is what Jamie calls a "full orchestra of flavors" -- gooey cheddar, crisp bacon, and a killer (but easy!) sauce that's sweet, smoky, and tangy.

Updated at: Thu, 01 Jan 2026 08:31:18 GMT