Garbage Burger
intro
A tall, messy, juicy stacked burger piled high with crispy bacon, melted cheese, caramelized onions, and classic toppings for bold, no-fuss summer comfort.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook crispy bacon
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Lay 8 slices of thick-cut bacon in a single layer, cook 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, and leave the rendered bacon fat in the skillet for cooking onions.
Caramelize sliced onions
Reduce skillet heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F). Add the 150g of thinly sliced yellow onion to the reserved bacon fat, stir to coat fully. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, deep golden brown, and naturally sweet. Transfer caramelized onions to a small bowl and set aside.
Form beef patties
Divide 680g of 80/20 ground beef chuck into 4 equal 170g portions. Gently form each portion into a 1/2-inch thick patty slightly wider than the brioche buns (patties will shrink during cooking). Press a shallow 1/4-inch dimple in the center of each patty to prevent bulging, then season both sides evenly with 5g kosher salt and 2g ground black pepper.
Grill cheese-topped patties
Preheat an outdoor grill or cast-iron grill pan to medium-high heat (200°C/400°F), and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place seasoned patties directly on the grates, and resist the urge to press down on patties while cooking (this squeezes out flavorful juices). Cook 4 minutes per side for medium doneness. During the last 1 minute of cooking, top each patty with 2 slices of American cheese, then close the grill lid to let cheese fully melt into a gooey layer.
Toast brioche buns
Brush the cut sides of the 4 split brioche buns with 30g of melted unsalted butter. Place buns cut-side down on the grill's cooler outer edge (or a skillet over medium heat) for 1-2 minutes, until cut surfaces are golden brown and slightly crisp around the edges. Remove toasted buns from heat and arrange on a serving platter.
Stack loaded burgers
Spread 15ml (1 tablespoon) of mayonnaise evenly across the cut side of each bottom bun. Layer toppings in order: 1 iceberg lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 30g (1/8 cup) drained dill pickles, one cheese-topped beef patty, 2 slices of crispy bacon, 1/4 of the caramelized onions, and 12.5g (2 tablespoons) crispy fried onion strings. Spread 11ml (3/4 tablespoon) ketchup and 7.5ml (1.5 teaspoons) yellow mustard on the cut side of each top bun, then press firmly down on the full stack to hold all toppings in place.
Tips
2.Never press down on grilling patties with a spatula: this squeezes out flavorful fat and juices, leading to dry, bland burgers and excess grill flare-ups.
3.Layer moisture-heavy toppings (lettuce, tomato, pickles) under the hot patty to create a natural moisture barrier that prevents soggy, falling-apart bottom buns.
OMG this garbage burger is an absolute game changer! Threw it together for my weekend tailgate last Saturday and every single guy on the block was begging for the recipe. Cook time was way shorter than I expected for something so stacked, total no-brainer even when you’re juggling 10 other grill tasks. 10/10 will be making this for every cookout this summer.
Made this for family dinner last night and my kids went CRAZY for it! I was worried the ‘garbage’ name would turn them off but once they saw the pile of crispy bacon, melted cheese, and fried onion rings on top they dug right in. Only note is I skipped the jalapeños for the little ones, still turned out SO good. Super easy to whip up on a busy weeknight too!
Wait, hold up — is there a reason it’s called a garbage burger? Don’t get me wrong, it looks insane, I just don’t want to serve something to my book club with a name that makes it sound like I scraped the fridge trash onto a patty 😂
Perfect for meal prep? Wait, hear me out — I was thinking of pre-making the patties and prepping all the topping containers ahead of time for busy weeknights, so we can assemble right after cooking. Has anyone tried prepping parts of this ahead?
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a George Foreman grill and it came out perfect! No fancy equipment needed, super easy steps, and my roommate said it’s better than the $18 gourmet burger spot down the street. Total win for a broke college student meal that feels fancy.
Tried this last night and loved the flavor, but my patty kept falling apart on the grill! Did I overwork the meat? I was so excited to pile all the toppings on but ended up having to serve it as a sloppy joe adjacent situation, still tasted amazing but want to get it right next time.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and it was the first dish gone! People were even going back for seconds before half the other dishes got touched. I added a little drizzle of hot honey on mine and it took it over the top, chef’s kiss.
SO. GOOD. I was skeptical about stacking fries right on the burger but the crunch is unreal. I used crinkle cut fries for extra texture and it was perfect. Don’t skip the special sauce, either — I could put that stuff on everything.
Wait, how messy is this thing? I want to make it for my date night in but I don’t want to be dripping sauce all over my nice shirt 10 minutes in 😂 Should I have extra napkins on standby?
Has anyone tried this with a plant-based patty? I’m trying to cut back on red meat but this looks too good to pass up. Worried the veggie patty won’t hold up to all the heavy toppings!
Game changer for Sunday football! Cooked these up on the grill before the game yesterday, paired with a cold beer and it was better than any stadium food I’ve ever had. The cook time is totally manageable even when you’re rushing to get set up before kickoff. 10/10, no notes.
First time ever making burgers from scratch and this was so easy! I was super intimidated but the steps were straightforward, no weird fancy ingredients, and it turned out way better than I thought it would. My boyfriend said it’s the best meal I’ve ever made him 🥹
How much cheese is too much cheese? Asking for a friend… who may have added three slices of cheddar, a handful of fried cheese curds, and a drizzle of cheese sauce to his burger last night. No regrets, just curious if that’s overdoing it.