Smoked Bacon
Caramelized Onion Burger Topping
Elevate your homemade burgers with this rich, savory smoked bacon and caramelized onion topping. Slowly rendered bacon fat and sweet onions combine for the ultimate flavor upgrade.
Inspired by the signature topping from a popular small-town burger shop, this caramelized onion and bacon mixture is the secret to a restaurant-quality burger. Cooking the onions directly in the rendered smoked bacon fat infuses them with a deep, savory sweetness that balances perfectly with a juicy beef patty.
Ingredients
- 3 large white onions
- 5 slices smoked bacon
- 1 tbsp butter
- 10 g black pepper
Instructions
- 1Slice the onions
Begin by washing the white onions thoroughly. Use a mechanical onion slicer to process the onions into thin, uniform strips, ensuring they are ready for even caramelization.
Tip: If you dont have a mechanical slicer, a sharp mandoline or a chefs knife will work perfectly to get consistent thin slices. - 2Prepare the bacon
Take five slices of high-quality smoked bacon and place them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the bacon strips into small, uniform square pieces to ensure they crisp up evenly.
Tip: Keep the bacon chilled until you are ready to cut it, as cold bacon is much easier to slice into neat, uniform pieces. - 3Prep the grill
Heat your flat-top grill to approximately 170 degrees. Once hot, add a generous knob of butter and spread it across the surface to create a non-stick base and add richness to the ingredients.
Tip: Ensure the butter is fully melted and coating the entire area where you plan to cook the bacon to prevent sticking. - 4Fry the bacon
Add the prepared bacon pieces to the greased hot grill. Stir-fry the bacon continuously, allowing the fat to render and the meat to develop a golden-brown, crispy texture.
Tip: Dont rush this step; rendering the fat slowly at 170 degrees builds the savory foundation for the onion caramelization. - 5Add the onions
Once the bacon is browned and the fat has rendered, add the thin strips of white onions directly to the grill alongside the bacon. Mix them together to coat the onions in the flavorful bacon fat.
Tip: Combining the onions with the rendered bacon fat immediately infuses them with a deep, smoky flavor as they begin to cook. - 6Season with black pepper
Sprinkle the 10 grams of freshly ground black pepper evenly over the cooking onions and bacon. Stir well to distribute the seasoning throughout the mixture as the onions begin to soften.
Tip: Caramelizing onions is a process of patience; keep stirring to ensure even color development without burning. - 7Finish caramelizing
Keep stirring the mixture continuously as the onions break down further over the heat. The topping is ready when the onions are completely soft, sweet, and have taken on a rich, dark brown color from the caramelization and the bacon fat.
Tip: If the mixture looks too dry before the onions are fully soft, you can add a small splash of water to deglaze the grill and help them along.
