Quadruple Bypass Burger
intro
An ultra-indulgent stacked American diner burger loaded with four juicy beef patties, melted cheese, and crispy bacon, built for hearty appetites at casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep burger components
Divide 1360g of 80/20 ground beef into 16 equal 85g portions, gently shaping each into 1cm-thick patties slightly wider than the brioche buns (patties shrink 10-15% during cooking). Press a 1cm dimple in the center of each patty to prevent bulging as it cooks, then season both sides evenly with 10g kosher salt and 3g freshly ground black pepper. Arrange seasoned patties on a parchment-lined tray, then prep vegetable toppings: drain pickles, thinly slice onion, separate lettuce leaves, and cut tomato slices, setting all toppings aside for assembly.
Cook the bacon
Place a 30cm cast-iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Arrange 16 thick-cut bacon slices in a single layer, working in 2 batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan (crowding causes steamed, not crispy, bacon). Cook 4-5 minutes per side until deep golden and fully crispy, then transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease. Reserve all rendered bacon fat in the skillet to cook beef patties for extra smoky flavor.
Sear the beef patties
Increase stovetop heat to medium-high (190°C/375°F) to heat the reserved bacon fat. Cook patties in batches of 4 at a time to avoid steaming, placing them gently in the hot skillet. Cook for 2.5 minutes on the first side without moving, then flip and cook 2 more minutes for medium doneness. During the last 30 seconds of cooking on the second side, place one slice of American cheese on top of each patty to allow it to melt fully over the patty surface. Transfer cooked, cheese-topped patties to a clean tray, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 2 minutes while cooking remaining batches.
Toast the burger buns
Reduce stovetop heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F). Brush the cut, inner sides of all 4 split brioche buns evenly with 60g melted unsalted butter. Place buns cut-side down in the skillet (working in batches if needed) and toast for 1-2 minutes until the cut surface is deep golden brown and slightly crisp to the touch. Remove toasted buns from the pan and arrange on a prep board for assembly.
Build the burger base
On the cut, toasted bottom half of each brioche bun, spread 15ml (1 tbsp) of mayonnaise evenly across the entire surface. Top each sauced bun with 37g (1/4 cup) drained dill pickle slices, 27g (1/4 cup) thinly sliced white onion, one large iceberg lettuce leaf torn to match bun size, and two thick tomato slices, arranged evenly to prevent sliding during stacking.
Stack the patty layers
On top of each veggie-topped bun base, place one crispy bacon slice, then stack four cheese-topped beef patties, tucking one additional crispy bacon slice between each patty layer (for a total of 4 bacon slices per burger) to distribute smoky crunch evenly across every bite. Press down gently but firmly on each layer as you build to stabilize the tall stack and prevent toppings from shifting or sliding out.
Finish and serve burgers
On the cut, toasted top half of each brioche bun, spread 15ml (1 tbsp) mayonnaise, 7.5ml (0.5 tbsp) yellow mustard, and 15ml (1 tbsp) ketchup evenly across the surface. Place the sauced top bun over the final patty layer, press down firmly to compress the stack slightly and secure all layers, then push one 20cm long wooden skewer straight down through the center of each burger to hold the tall stack together during eating. Serve immediately while patties are hot and cheese is fully melted.
Tips
2.Never press down on beef patties with a spatula while cooking, as this squeezes out all the flavorful fat and juiciness, resulting in dry, less flavorful burgers.
3.For extra stack stability, chill formed, seasoned patties in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before cooking; this helps the patties hold their shape and reduces shrinkage as they sear.
OMGGGG this burger is INSANE. Made it for my Sunday football watch party with the guys and everyone was begging for the recipe before halftime. I added a little extra crispy bacon between each patty because why not, and it was SO good. 10/10 would make again, even if I needed a nap after eating it. Total game changer for cookouts!
My kids loved this! I cut the patties a little thinner so they weren’t quite so heavy for the boys, and swapped the regular cheese for pepper jack for a little kick. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is my kitchen was a total grease bomb by the time I was done cooking, worth it though!
Made this in my dorm shared kitchen for me and my roommates, we all split one because there was no way any of us could finish a whole one alone. 10/10, zero notes, we’re already planning to make it again for our end of semester party next month. So worth skipping the dining hall for.
I was nervous this would be too complicated for a medium difficulty recipe but the step by step instructions were so easy to follow! Cook time was exactly 35 minutes like the recipe said, no surprises. Served it with loaded tater tots on the side for our Friday family dinner and my husband said it’s better than the burgers at our favorite local dive bar.
Flavor was incredible, don’t get me wrong, but four patties was just way too much for me! I could barely finish half even after skipping lunch. Maybe next time I’ll scale it down to two patties so I don’t feel like I need to be rolled out of the dining room. Also, wish the recipe mentioned how much napkin stock you need to have on hand lmao.
This tastes exactly like the crazy oversized burgers I used to get at the old diner in my hometown when I was a teen! The special sauce recipe is spot on, I could put that stuff on everything. I’ll be bringing this to our annual block party potluck this summer, it’s gonna be the star of the table for sure.
I was a little skeptical this would work for meal prep but I pre-cooked the patties on Sunday and kept them in the fridge, then assembled the burgers quick for dinners all week. The only issue is the buns get a little soggy if you assemble too far ahead, so definitely keep components separate! Flavor held up great though.
Made this after a long day on the trails with my teen son, we were both ravenous and this hit every single spot. We added grilled jalapeños and a fried egg on top for extra oomph, and it was the perfect post-hike refuel. Will absolutely be making this on our next camping trip too!
Just finished making this and wow, first bite had me speechless. I used a blend of ground chuck and short rib for the patties like my grandma taught me and it made the flavor next level. 100% recommend to anyone who loves a big, juicy, no-skimp burger.
I was worried this would be super pricey to make with four patties per burger, but I bought ground beef on sale and used store brand cheese and it came out to under $4 per serving, which is way cheaper than getting a burger at a fast food place! Tasted way better too. Only knock is I wish the recipe had a make-ahead sauce option, but it was easy to whip up last minute.
Test ran this recipe before our Super Bowl party next month and it’s a home run. I set up a little build-your-own burger bar with all the toppings — pickles, onions, bacon, different cheeses, jalapeños — so people could customize their own bypass burgers. This is gonna be the talk of the party, no question.
As someone who works 12 hour shifts, I need hearty meals that actually stick with me through a long shift, and this burger did NOT disappoint. I ate half before my shift and half on my lunch break and I didn’t even crave the random hospital vending machine snacks I usually reach for. SO good, already added it to my regular rotation.