Thick, juicy smokehouse burgers topped with bacon onion jam and smoky gouda on a Kaiser roll—an ideal recipe for your next cookout.
These hearty 8-ounce beef patties are finished with a homemade bacon onion jam, smoky gouda, and your favorite BBQ sauce. You can cook them on a grill over indirect heat or in a smoker—add chunks of cherry or pecan wood for extra smoke. Serve with an ice-cold beer or hard cider and enjoy.
Bacon Onion Jam
Skip the usual condiments and try bacon onion jam. Slowly simmered onions, bacon, garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, BBQ sauce, coffee, and spices reduce to a sticky, jam-like consistency that adds sweet, savory, and smoky notes to the burgers.
Ingredients
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon works well for a meaty texture and holds up during cooking.
Onion: A large yellow onion is used here; sweet or white onions work too. Dice and caramelize the onion in reserved bacon grease with garlic and red pepper flakes, about 4½–5 minutes.
Garlic: Minced garlic is recommended; you can substitute 2 teaspoons garlic powder if preferred.
Red pepper flakes: Adds a touch of heat—omit if you want no spice.
BBQ seasoning: Use your favorite BBQ rub to season the burgers.
Brown sugar: Dark or light brown sugar works; dark yields a deeper flavor and color.
Maple syrup: Pure dark maple syrup pairs beautifully with the bacon and brown sugar.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds brightness and balances the sweetness.
Coffee: A splash of brewed dark-roast coffee deepens the flavor and balances sweetness.
BBQ sauce: Use any BBQ sauce you like to finish the jam and glaze the burgers.
How to make smokehouse burgers
You will need 2 pounds of 80/20 ground chuck, kosher salt, black pepper, a BBQ spice blend, BBQ sauce, smoked gouda, and 4 Kaiser rolls. Optional produce like lettuce or tomato can be added, but the bacon onion jam is essential.
Form the meat into four 8-ounce patties. Place them on a sheet pan, cover, and freeze for 15 minutes to help them hold their shape while cooking.
Preheat your smoker or set up your grill for indirect cooking at 275°F. Indirect cooking places the heat source to the sides so the food cooks without direct flame beneath it. Add chunks of pecan or cherry wood to the coals for smoke.
Remove the patties from the freezer and season both sides with salt, pepper, and your BBQ rub. Arrange over indirect heat—typically in the center of the grill while burners are lit on either side. Cook for 30 minutes, then flip and continue until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium. Adjust cook time if your patty sizes differ and monitor the internal temperature throughout.
When nearly done, brush each patty with BBQ sauce and allow it to set for 2–3 minutes. Top with smoked gouda, remove from the smoker or grill, add a generous spoonful of bacon onion jam, assemble on Kaiser rolls, and serve.
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📖 Recipe
Smokehouse Burgers with Bacon Onion Jam
Ingredients
Smokehouse Burgers
- 2 pounds ground chuck (80/20)
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 4 slices smoked gouda
- 4 Kaiser rolls
Bacon Onion Jam
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup brewed dark-roast coffee
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning
Instructions
Bacon Onion Jam
- Cook bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and discard or save the rest.
- Sauté onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the reserved grease for 4½–5 minutes, until the onions caramelize.
- Stir in maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, brewed coffee, and BBQ sauce.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes until the mixture turns a dark amber and thickens into jam. Set aside until ready to use.
Smokehouse Burgers
- Form ground chuck into four 8-ounce patties.
- Freeze the patties on a sheet pan for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Heat the smoker or grill for indirect cooking to 275°F and add cherry or pecan wood chunks for smoke.
- Season both sides of the patties with salt, pepper, and BBQ seasoning.
- Place the patties over indirect heat and cook for 30 minutes, then flip and continue until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium.
- Brush patties with BBQ sauce and let them rest on the grill for 2–3 minutes, then top with smoked gouda and remove from heat.
- Spread bacon onion jam on each burger, assemble on Kaiser rolls, and serve.