Chef John's Grilled Bacon Meatloaf Burgers

I love meatloaf, but not as much as I love meatloaf sandwiches. In fact, I'll make a meatloaf just for the leftovers. I'll fry the cold slice in a buttered pan until hot and crusty, and enjoy it on toast with ketchup. This recipe is basically that, plus bacon, in burger form.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 520 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ cup plain bread crumbs
• pinch dried thyme
• ⅔ cup chopped cooked bacon
• 1 pound ground chuck beef (85% lean)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Whisk egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs and chopped cooked bacon. Crumble in the ground beef. Mix with your fingers until bacon and breadcrumbs are distributed evenly.

Step 3

Form mixture into 4 burgers with your wet hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled thoroughly, about 3 hours.

Step 4

Place burgers on the grate and cook, turing occasionally, until firm and cooked to your desired doneness. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read between 145 and 150 degrees F (63 degrees C). Let burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.