BBQ Bacon Burgers

Made any Picked Red Onions yet? If you haven't had the time or motivation to try out that delicious condiment, let me provide a bit of inspiration. I came up with the recipe for this burger before I ever made pickled red onions, and the desire to put them on this burger was the impetus for finding a recipe. I usually caramelize onions in bacon fat whenever I'm making bacon for a burger, but the bright flavor of the pickled red onions was a welcome change from my usual routine. The sharp and crisp red onions are the perfect contrast to smoky barbecue and rich and savory beef, bacon, and cheese, holding their own against the other big flavors in this burger. This recipe isn't the only place picked red onions have found a home, so check back soon for more ways to incorporate this simple condiment into your culinary repetoire.

BBQ Bacon Burgers
serves 2

2-4 slices bacon (depending on size)
2 whole grain hamburger buns
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (I used Frontera barbecue sauce)
2 oz. sliced baby Swiss cheese
8 oz. ground beef (local, organic, grass-fed is the best if you can find/afford it)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pickled Red Onions

1. Preheat a pan over medium heat. Cook bacon to desired level of crispness, remove from pan, drain, and break each slice into two pieces.

2. Preheat a grill pan or gas grill over medium to medium-high heat or prepare a charcoal grill (my personal preference). Cook burgers to just shy of desired level of doneness. Placed sliced bacon and cheese on top of burgers and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

3. Meanwhile, spread 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce on the top half of each hamburger bun and top with pickled red onions. Add cooked burger to bottom half of bun, top with upper half, and serve.