Ingredients

12 oz. thick-cut smoked bacon, minced

12 oz. 90% lean ground beef

1 tbsp. canola oil

Kosher salt

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. lime juice

Pinch kosher salt

1/2 c. mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie

2 tsp. honey dijon mustard

1/4 c. finely chopped pickles

3 tbsp. finely chopped onions

1/8 tsp. smoked paprika

1 large clove garlic, grated

Iceberg lettuce 

Thinly sliced onions

Preparation

Step 1On a small sheet tray or large plate, loosely spread minced bacon in a single layer, then top with ground beef in a single layer. Using a bench scraper, cut meat mixture down the middle and stack one-half of mixture on top of the other. Repeat cutting and stacking twice more, lightly patting down to combine mixture.Step 2Divide mixture into six equal portions, 4 ounces each. Gently toss each portion back and forth between your hands to shape them into balls, then lightly flatten each ball into a 3 ½”-wide patty.Step 3 In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add patties and cook, in batches if necessary, until a thick golden crust has formed, 3 to 4 minutes. Season tops of patties lightly with salt, then flip and cook on other side until patties reach an internal temperature of 145°, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.Step 4Meanwhile, make special sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together all sauce ingredients. Step 5To serve, place each patty inside a lettuce leaf folded in half. Top with a heaping tablespoon of special sauce and sliced onions.

The 50/50 burger doesn’t have this problem: 50% of the patty mix is already smoked, cured, and perfectly seasoned. Minced by hand, the plump dice of fatty, salty pork melts into the patty as it sears away on a hot cast iron skillet, drawing out the natural sweetness of both meats while checking the gaminess of lean beef.One tip: avoid mashing the patty mixture too much to keep it slightly aerated. This ensures that your burger maintains a tender structure—watch the video to see the patty-forming technique! With such a flavorful patty in hand, simple toppings do the trick: crunchy, refreshing iceberg lettuce in place of bready buns, a dollop of homemade special sauce with all my favorite condiments, and a few thin slices of naturally sweet and spicy yellow onions. If you’re still hungry, check out our super easy summer dinner ideas!