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You won't be able to stop eating this Maple Bacon Smash Burger. It's piled high with gooey provolone, sticky-sweet maple bacon, and onions cooked until they're super soft and golden. The buns are buttery and crisp from the griddle, and everything's cooked to make sure every bite’s crunchy, soft, and bursting with flavor. It never lasts long at my place—gone in a flash!
Delicious Ingredients
- Butter: Sear the buns nice and golden with some good unsalted butter
- Onions: Medium yellow ones are best—slow cook ‘em with a little maple syrup to make them extra sweet
- Salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder: Your go-to blend—use kosher salt and crack your own pepper if you can
- Ground beef: Choose 80–85% lean so you end up with a juicy patty—go for meat that looks bright and fresh
- Hard rolls: Grab sturdy bakery rolls that won’t fall apart. Toast them up for crunch
- Yellow mustard: That tangy bite that screams classic burger flavors
- Provolone cheese: Melts fast, covers every inch. If you want more punch, aged provolone is your friend
- Bacon: Get the good thick-cut kind! Brush with maple syrup and a dash of chili powder
- Maple bacon: Makes each mouthful sweet and savory—if you find Wisconsin syrup, go for it
- Caramelized onions: Slow-cooked yellow onions add big flavor. Low heat, patience, and they’re perfect
Mouthwatering Step-by-Step
- Get That Cheese and Build Burgers:
- Once you flip the patties, lay on provolone, top with sticky maple bacon, then add more sweet onions if you love ‘em. Cover with something big (like a bowl) so everything melts. Butter your buns and toast ‘em, stack up the burger, throw on mustard if you want more kick, and eat while it’s all warm.
- Fire Up and Smash Burgers:
- Crank your griddle or skillet to medium-high and wipe on a thin layer of oil or butter. Pop your beef balls on and smash each one flat. When the edges are dark and crisp, and fat’s sizzling up, flip ‘em. Hit the tops with yellow mustard before the last flip for max flavor.
- Cook Maple Bacon:
- Spread those bacon slices on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Put it all in a cold oven, then set to 350F. Mix up some maple syrup, chili powder, and pepper, and brush it on as bacon cooks. When it’s super crisp and super glossy, pull it out—should take about 25–30 minutes depending how thick you go.
- Caramelize Those Onions:
- Chop two or three medium yellows nice and small. Toss them in a hot skillet with a good blob of butter. Keep the heat low and stir a lot. Add maple syrup and fresh pepper along the way. After about a half hour, they’ll be golden, soft, and smell amazing.
- Shape the Beef Balls:
- Divide up your seasoned beef and roll into four balls. Put them on a plate and let them sit there 15 minutes—don’t cover. This makes the beef cook up way better and helps the browning.
- Mix Up the Beef:
- In a big bowl, use your hands to mix ground beef, caramelized onions, and the seasonings just until it sticks together. Don’t mash it too much or your burgers end up tough.
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How to Keep Leftovers Fresh
Stash leftover patties and bacon wrapped up in the fridge up to three days. When you're ready for round two, fry ‘em quick in a hot pan to bring back the crisp. Store the buns and toppings separately so nothing gets soggy, and keep onions in a small sealed dish to contain their sweet smell.
Swap Options
If you want a different cheese, both Swiss and mild cheddar melt great. To go lighter, use turkey bacon. No maple syrup? Honey works as your glaze. You can switch out for red or sweet onions too if you’re craving a new flavor twist for your onions.
How to Serve It
Try these burgers with kettle chips for crunch, crispy homemade fries, or a pile of cold coleslaw. Add a green salad and dill pickles to lighten things up. If you’ve got extras, toast up more buns—folks always want another hand-held masterpiece.
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Background and Tradition
Smash burgers got their fame in diners all over America for that crunchy thin edge and speedy cooking. Putting maple bacon front and center is a Midwest move—Wisconsin’s famous for rich provolone and real maple syrup. You get classic comfort flavors totally dialed up.
Recipe FAQs
- → How can I make the burger’s edges crispy?
Press the beef balls flat on a really hot griddle or pan, then cook without touching them to let the edges brown and crisp up beautifully.
- → How do I make smoky and sweet bacon?
Combine maple syrup, a pinch of chili powder, and ground pepper, then brush the mix on the bacon as it bakes to add a smoky, caramelized flavor.
- → Is there a good substitute for provolone?
If you want to switch it up, cheddar or Swiss cheese melt just as well and bring their own creamy goodness to the burger.
- → What’s the benefit of caramelized onions?
Slowly cooking the onions makes them sweet and rich, which brings out the best in the bacon and beef flavors.
- → Which rolls should I choose?
Opt for hardy rolls that don’t get soggy but still toast well, staying crispy and buttery for every bite.
- → Can I use a regular pan if I don’t have a griddle?
Sure thing! Heat up a sturdy pan or cast iron skillet as hot as you can to replicate the griddle’s searing effect.