This 4th of July, we are firing up the backyard grill and diving into an all-American classic: the BBQ Bacon Patty Melt. Get ready, ’cause the fireworks are coming straight to your taste buds. This insanely delicious sandwich features a juicy beef patty, bacon, onions, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, yellow mustard and the best BBQ sauce.
Post sponsored by Qalo.
To honor America and the sacrifices of our soldiers who secure our freedom, I’m sporting my QALO Stars and Stripes ring while I work. It’s frictionless and heat-resistant—basically, perfect for me when I’m grilling up a storm.
Each Qalo ring for men, available in a range of sizes, features premium-quality silicone for frictionless wear and complete comfort. They donate $1 from every purchase to Folds of Honor.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love the BBQ Bacon Patty Melt
There’s no comfort food that hits the spot quicker than a good patty melt. If you love the Texas bacon patty melt from Waffle House, you’ll want to make this easy recipe because it tastes even better! We combine the best elements of a classic patty melt with the smoky goodness of crispy, smoky bacon.
The upside-down burger buns get crispy, making for a more cheesy, crunchy style of burger. The whole thing, complete with BBQ sauce, jalapeños, and red onions, is mouthwateringly delicious. In fact, so freakin’ delicious my stomach is rumbling just thinking about it!
For more insanely tasty patty melts, check out Patty Melt with French Onion Au Jus, Chicken Bacon Ranch Patty Melt and the Oklahoma Onion Patty Melt.
Ingredients for the Bacon Melt
- Beef Patties – Ground beef or ground chuck is simply seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Yellow mustard is drizzled on the patties before flipping them, giving the burgers a tangy twist.
- Patty Melt – To round out the recipe, grab some red onions, jalapeños, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and good o’l white bread burger buns. Finally, don’t forget the star ingredient: strips of bacon.
The cook time for these burgers is fast, so make sure your crowd is good and ready to eat before making them!
How to Make the Bacon Patty Melt on the Grill
Prepping Your New Favorite Burgers
First things first, heat your grill to high heat, around 400 degrees F, for direct cooking. Place a large cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to get it nice and hot.
Start by adding some sliced bacon to the large skillet. Cook the bacon until it’s crispy, then pull it off and mop up any excess bacon fat in the skillet, leaving a little behind for the vegetable sautéing. Once the bacon is done, toss in your red onions and jalapeños. Cook onions with the peppers for about 6-8 minutes until they’re softened, then pull them off and keep them warm.
Next, grab a handful of ground beef and gently roll into equal portions. Depending on how much meat you have, you’ll want to do this for about 6-8 balls. Get your skillet ripping hot so that it’s gently smoking.
Cooking the Cheesy Patty Melt
Add a burger ball to the skillet, place a piece of parchment paper over it and firmly press with a spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Season the thin patties with salt, pepper and garlic. Let them cook for another 1-1.5 minutes.
Before flipping the patty, drizzle some yellow mustard on the unflipped side. Carefully flip the burger patty over, season the new side and top it with a slice of cheese. Let the cheese melt for 1-2 minutes, then pull the patty off and let it rest. Then, repeat this process for the rest of your patties.
Building the Ultimate Patty Melts
To build your patty melt, start with an upside-down bottom butter bun. Add a slice of cheese, some BBQ sauce, double patties, onions and jalapeños, more BBQ sauce and crispy bacon. Finish with the top bun also placed upside down.
Finally, add the patty melts to the skillet and toast the buns until they’re golden brown. Once they’re perfect, serve and enjoy!
Cheers to great food, good people to share it with and safely celebrating our freedom together on Independence Day!
If you’re loving this recipe, you’ve gotta try the BBQ Bacon Burger next!
Why Cooking Burgers at High Temperature is Essential
Cooking burgers at a high temperature, rather than medium heat, helps achieve that perfect balance of a juicy interior and a beautifully caramelized exterior. The high heat creates a quick sear, forming a flavorful crust that locks in the juices, resulting in a more flavorful and tender burger. Additionally, this rapid cooking method reduces the risk of the burger drying out, ensuring every bite is as delicious as the first.
What to Serve with the Bacon Patty Melt
Pair your BBQ Bacon Patty Melt with some classic sides to round out the meal. Think crispy potato wedges, French fries, sweet potato fries or tater tots—any of these will hit the spot. And don’t forget some grilled corn to really set things off. You’ll be good to go!
Leftovers & Reheating
If you have any leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then store them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm them gently in the oven or on the grill wrapped in foil to keep them nice and juicy.
More Patty Melts
FAQs for the Bacon Patty Melt
Definitely! Feel free to customize with your favorite toppings, such as pickles or some different cheeses (some melted, gooey American cheese or Swiss cheese sounds good to me!).
Absolutely! You could go for a more traditional vibe with rye bread, thick slices of Texas toast, or just slices of bread from a white loaf.
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has granted thousands of educational scholarships to support spouses and children of fallen or disabled service members and first responders. Nearly half of these scholarships have been awarded to minority recipients. For each purchase from this collection, $1 will be donated directly to Folds of Honor to further their mission.
Get The Cookbooks!
Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
All the major tastes—salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami—are explored in depth, along with an investigation of other components you should consider when it comes to flavor, such as aroma, heat, and texture.
Bacon Patty Melt
Ingredients
Beef:
- 1 lbs Ground Beef
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ cup Yellow Mustard
- Beef Tallow as needed
Patty Melt:
- 1 cup Sliced Red Onions
- 1 cup Sliced Jalapeño
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
- 6-8 slices Cheddar Cheese
- 6-8 Burger Buns
- 1 lb Bacon
Instructions
- Heat your grill at high heat (around 400 degrees F) for direct cooking.
- Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat and add some sliced bacon to the cold skillet. Cook them bacon until crispy, then pull off and mop up any excess bacon fat in the skillet.
- Once done, add your red onions and jalapenos to saute for 6-8 minutes until softened. I left some of the bacon fat on the skillet for the onions and jalapeños to sautéed in. Then pull off and keep warm.
- Grab a handful of ground beef and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until you’re out of meat.
- Get your skillet ripping hot (so it's gently smoking). Add a burger ball to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet.
- Season the patty with salt, pepper and garlic. Let cook for another 1-1.5 minutes.
- Before flipping, drizzle some yellow mustard on the unflipped patty.
- Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side.
- Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull off and rest.
- Repeat for the rest of your patties.
- Build your patty melt with an upside down bottom butter bun, slice of cheese, bbq sauce, double patties, onions & jalapenos, more bbq sauce, bacon and the top bun on upside down.
- Add the patty melts to the skillet and toast the buns. Once golden brown, serve and enjoy!
Wanting to make this but no special sauce recipe. Where can I find ?
Sorry.. that is my mistake. No need for special sauce just BBQ Sauce!