"Give your basic burger a boost with crispy cooked bacon crumbles and sautéed onions mixed in with the ground chuck before grilling. Topped off with Swiss cheese and sliced tomatoes."
3 slices bacon
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1½ pound ground chuck (80%lean)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns, split
8 medium slices tomato
In a large skillet over medium heat on the stove, fry the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain the bacon on paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet.
Cook the onion in the skillet with the bacon drippings over medium heat until tender but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme. Continue to cook until the garlic has softened, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onion mixture to a small bowl and let cool. Finely chop the bacon.
In a medium bowl mix the ground chuck with the Worcestershire, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, the onion mixture, and the bacon. Gently form four patties of equal size, each about 3/4 inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty to prevent them from doming as they cook. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (400° to 500°F).
Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the patties over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to medium doneness, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. During the last minute of grilling time, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt, and grill the hamburger buns, cut side down, until toasted. Build each burger on a bun with a patty, tomatoes, ketchup, and/or mustard. Serve warm.