The Ultimate Dad Burger

Prep Time: ~20 minutes Cook Time: ~15 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients

The Patties

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 chuck, freshly ground if you can get it)
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
  
• 4 slices sharp cheddar or American cheese

The Bacon-Onion Jam

• 6 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp bourbon (optional, but it's Dad's day)

The Burger Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

For Serving

• 4 brioche buns, split
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• Crisp lettuce leaves
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced thick
• Dill pickle slices

Steps

1. Build the Fire Light your Cowboy Cauldron and let the flames settle into a hot, even bed of coals. Set a flat cast iron griddle or skillet over the heat to come up to temperature — you want it ripping hot for a good crust.
2. Make the Bacon-Onion Jam In a small cast iron pot at the edge of the fire, render the chopped bacon until crisp. Add the sliced onion and cook low and slow until deeply golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, vinegar, and bourbon, and simmer until thick and jammy. Pull it off the heat and set aside.
3. Mix the Sauce Whisk together mayo, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickle, and smoked paprika. Set aside so the flavors marry.
4. Form the Patties Gently mix the beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder — don't overwork it. Form into 4 loose patties, slightly wider than your buns, with a thumbprint dimple in the center so they cook flat.
5. Sear Over the Coals Lay the patties on the screaming-hot griddle. Sear 3–4 minutes per side for medium, pressing once to lock in the crust. In the final minute, lay a slice of cheese on each patty and tent with a lid or foil to melt.
6. Toast the Buns Butter the cut sides of the brioche and toast them face-down on the griddle for 30–45 seconds until golden and crisp.
7. Assemble the Dad Burger Spread sauce on both buns. Stack lettuce, tomato, and pickles on the bottom, then the cheesy patty, then a generous spoonful of bacon-onion jam. Crown it with the top bun and press gently.

Pro Tips

• Keep the griddle toward the hottest part of the coals — a proper sear is what separates a dad burger from a backyard burger.
• Make the bacon-onion jam ahead of time; it only gets better and frees you up to work the fire.
• Don't smash the patties while they cook (after the first press) — let that crust build undisturbed.
• Let the burgers rest a minute before assembling so the juices stay in the beef, not on the plate.