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Grilled Burgers with Bacon Tomato Jam and Smoked Gouda with a steak knife through the burger and the jar of jam.
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4.50 from 10 votes

Grilled Burgers with Bacon Tomato Jam and Smoked Gouda

Fire up the grill! Grilled Burgers with Bacon Tomato Jam and Smoked Gouda is a treat everyone will love. The juicy, smoky flavor of the burger paired with the sweet and savory bacon tomato jam, all topped off with creamy, melted smoked Gouda, makes for an unforgettable bite that’s sure to impress at your next cookout!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Sandwiches
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Bacon Tomato Jam

  • 1 pound bacon cut into small 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces pancetta diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 large plum tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Pinch cayenne pepper or to tolerance

Burgers

  • 1 pound ground chuck or sirloin
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 slices smoked Gouda cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 tablespoons butter softened
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Red onion slices

Instructions

Bacon Tomato Jam

  • In a cast iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and fat is rendered off. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.
  • Add pancetta to skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to plate with bacon.
  • Add butter to drippings then add onion with a pinch of salt. Cook onion for 10 to 12 minutes or until softened and golden. Add the diced tomatoes and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or just until tomato is softened and garlic is fragrant.
  • Return bacon and pancetta to skillet. Add the water, dark brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until syrupy and jam-like. Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.

Burgers

  • Form the beef into four even patties.
  • Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Season burgers with salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Place burgers on grill.
  • Grill 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Flip and grill another 2 to 3 minutes or to desired doneness. (Ground beef is safe when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and no longer pink.) Top with Gouda cheese slices during the last minute or two of grilling.
  • Spread butter on the inside of the buns. Place on grill and cook 1 minute or until lightly toasted and grill-marked.
  • Serve burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato slices, onion slices and bacon jam.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD:
  • Bacon Tomato Jam can be made 3-4 days ahead of time.  Refrigerate until needed.
MORE USES FOR THE BACON JAM:
  • Use as a topping for baked brie
  • Include on a charcuterie or cheese board
  • Add it to a grilled cheese sandwich
  • On top of waffles
  • With cheese in a stuffed chicken breast

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1739kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 109g | Fat: 116g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 59g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 391mg | Sodium: 3112mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g