BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers with Fried Onions
Food and Drink

Contributor: Geoff Schwartz. Excerpted from The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook by Daina Falk. Copyright © 2016 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Time Inc. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers with Fried Onions

"If you’re a New York fan, you may recognize Geoff from the New York Giants, for whom he played offensive guard. Duck fans may remember him from his time with the University of Oregon, where he started for three years at right tackle. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 2008 NFL Draft and has also played with the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs. Geoff and I share a couple of mutual friends, both of whom reached out to me to tell me all about him. “You have to meet Geoff! He’s a big foodie like you!” So from one foodie to another to you, here’s Geoff’s cheeseburger recipe. Enjoy!"

Daina Falk

2 pounds 90/10 ground sirloin

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices thick-cut bacon

2 onions, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese slices

4 brioche buns

Vegetable oil, for frying

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Mayonnaise, for serving, optional

Preheat your grill to 400°F or a grill pan over medium high.

Mix together the ground sirloin, dried parsley, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Use your hands to form the ground meat mixture into 4 even patties. 

Arrange the bacon on the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, be sure to place the bacon around the edge of the grill so that the grease does not start a fire. If using a gas grill, place the bacon to one side over lower heat. After the fat has slowly dripped off, you can move the bacon toward the center of the grill to finish cooking, about 10 minutes. When the bacon is nice and crisp, but not burned, remove it from the grill, and set it aside. 

Meanwhile, in a large shallow bowl, soak the onions in the buttermilk for 5 minutes.

Add the burgers to the grill. While they are cooking, place the flour in another large shallow bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the onion rings from the buttermilk, and coat them in the seasoned flour.

Heat about 4 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium until it reaches 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Test the heat of the oil by adding a small onion ring. If it burns, your oil is too hot. Place the onions in the oil, and fry for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate covered in paper towels. 

Keeping an eye on the burgers, flip them after 5 minutes. 

When they are nearly cooked, after about 10 minutes total, brush the top with the barbecue sauce. Let sit for 1 minute, then flip again, brushing the other side with barbecue sauce. Add the cheese, and remove the burgers from the grill. Add the buns to the grill to quickly heat them. 

To build the burgers, coat the bottom buns with more barbecue sauce, top with the cheeseburger, two slices of bacon, some fried onions, as well as any other desired condiments. (Geoff likes mayo.) Add the top bun, and enjoy.