Labor Day Burger Recipe: The Ultimate Summer BBQ Treat

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese, or more to taste
• cooking spray
• 2 slices Colby-Jack cheese
• 2 thin tomato slices
• 2 slices avocado
• 2 hamburger buns, split

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned but not fully crisp, approximately 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
2. In a bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and the reserved bacon drippings until well mixed. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a thin patty. Sprinkle shredded Colby-Jack cheese onto 2 patties, leaving a 3/4-inch edge uncovered. Top with the remaining patties and press the edges together to seal, creating 2 cheese-stuffed burgers. Place the burgers in the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat.
4. Coat the grill grate with cooking spray and place burgers on the grill. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the outsides are lightly charred and the cheese is melted, around 10 minutes per side. Maintain grill temperature at approximately 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Use a water-filled spray bottle to manage flames, allowing them to lightly char the burger bottoms. After the first flip, add 3 partially cooked bacon slices to each burger.
5. Approximately 2 minutes before the burgers are finished, place a Colby-Jack cheese slice on each burger. Top with tomato and avocado slices, then transfer the burgers to a plate to rest for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns and enjoy.

Nutrition

• Calories: 1198 kcal
• Fat Content: 69 g
• Fiber Content: 7 g
• Sugar Content: 4 g
• Sodium Content: 1887 mg
• Protein Content: 74 g
• Cholesterol Content: 232 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 68 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 31 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g