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Smoked Cheddar Jalapeño Burgers with Crunchy Bacon Sauce hit hard with flavor, perfect for anyone wanting serious burger satisfaction in their backyard. Every bite's packed with cheddar that's sharp and creamy, spicy jalapeños, and that dreamy bacon crunch. Don’t forget the homemade burger sauce – it gets devoured right away. My family always begs for these whenever we grill because nothing else hits quite like 'em.
Made these the first time just to try a new smoker and now they're a grill must-have. The sauce is so good it never lasts more than a few minutes at our table.
Essential Ingredients
- Cubed sharp cheddar cheese (about quarter inch): Melty spots of bold cheese in every mouthful. Look for orange, solid cheese with a good texture
- Fresh jalapeños, diced and seeded: Wake up the burgers with green, crunchy heat. Go for shiny and firm jalapeños
- Ground chuck 80/20: Those extra fats turn out juicy, tasty burgers. You want meat that's red and marbled
- Brioche buns, toasted: Buttery soft with sweet undertones, gives burgers a lift. Check for golden color and a pillowy feel
- BBQ rub (your go-to blend): This coats each outside with tasty bits as it cooks. Toss together salt, garlic, smoked paprika, and whatever you love
- Slices of pepper jack: Melts into a kicker topping, makes it gooey. Look for flexible pieces with visible pepper chunks
- Hickory wood pieces: These fill the burgers and cheese with true smoke. Grab chunks that have a fresh smell and avoid dried, old ones
- Ketchup: A little tang and sweet boost to the sauce. Favorites are the simpler ingredient types
- Good mayo: Creamy sauce starter. Go fancy if you can for full flavor
- Yellow mustard: Cuts through all the rich stuff. Use the classic for bright taste and color
- Worcestershire sauce: Just a dash for an umami kick
- Chopped sweet relish: Sweetens everything up and balances the heat. Try to use the kind with bigger pickle chunks
- Bacon, thick cut, cooked crispy then minced: Gives the sauce crunch and salty smoke. Hickory or applewood bacon makes it extra nice
- Tony’s Creole-style seasoning: Perks things up with those southern spices. Get the red spice mix if you see it
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper: Only use the freshest for that finishing touch
How to Make It
- Start Up the Smoker:
- Get your smoker hot at two seventy-five Fahrenheit. Toss in a few hickory chunks so you smell fragrant smoke, not bitter stuff
- Prep the Sauce:
- Fry thick cut bacon in a pan until it’s super crunchy, then place it on paper towels. Chop it up tiny. Stir up mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard, Worcestershire, Tony’s seasoning, lots of black pepper, and the chopped bacon in a bowl. Chill so flavors come together
- Toast Your Buns:
- While smokers doing its work, slather butter on the inside of the brioche buns. Set them face-down on a hot skillet until golden and crispy on the edges but still pillowy inside
- Combine the Patty Mix:
- Gently mix the ground chuck, cheddar cubes, and diced jalapeños by hand in a big bowl. Just enough until it’s mixed—don’t mash too hard or the burgers toughen up
- Form the Patties:
- Break it into six chunky balls, flatten them only a little. Press a dip in the center of each with your thumb—this way, they don’t puff like crazy
- Season the Patties:
- Coat the outside of each with your BBQ rub, pressing in so it all sticks. Let those rest while the smoker heats up
- Smoke the Burgers:
- Lay the patties on the grill and smoke about thirty to forty minutes until you read one fifty inside and the outsides look deep golden
- Add Cheese and Finish Cooking:
- Toss pepper jack slices on each patty at one fifty. Close it back up, smoke until cheese puddles and centers hit one sixty-five. Now they're good to eat
- Put Them Together:
- Spread a big scoop of cold burger sauce on the bottom bun, then pile on a hot patty with its cheese. Dollop a little more sauce if you want extra, then slap on the top bun. Eat right away while they’re still gooey and crispy
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Storage Ideas
Keep leftover burgers covered tight in the fridge and they're good for up to three days. Warm 'em in a pan with a splash of water and the lid on to keep 'em moist. Extra burger sauce will last a week in a sealed tub and gets even better after a day or so in the fridge.
Swap Suggestions
Try ground turkey instead of beef for something leaner—just make sure to keep some fat for juiciness. If jalapeño is too spicy, sub in chipotle or poblano for smoke with less burn. Can’t find brioche? Potato rolls nail it too.
Best Ways to Serve
Goes great with a pile of sweet potato fries, corn on the cob, or some picnic potato salad. Toss on pickled onions or lettuce for some crunch and a zip of freshness. Or make them mini as sliders for parties and game nights—they disappear fast.
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Food Roots
Smoking burgers is classic backyard America, mixing barbecue style with burger love. The combo of cheddar, jalapeño, and bacon shouts out to both Tex-Mex and Southern eats. Folks always go for seconds when I share these at cookouts with friends and neighbors.
Recipe FAQs
- → How can I give the burgers smoky flavor?
Place hickory wood chunks in your smoker and cook the patties at 275°F, letting the smoke infuse into the meat as it cooks.
- → Can I prep the sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! Mix the ingredients and refrigerate the sauce for up to 24 hours to let the flavors blend, saving you time later.
- → What’s the best cheese to use in the patties?
Sharp cheddar works great because it melts into creamy, tangy pockets of flavor with each juicy bite.
- → Do I have to use brioche buns?
No, but brioche offers a buttery sweetness. Any toasted bun will still work just fine and complement the flavors.
- → How spicy will the burgers be?
The heat is mild from the jalapeños, but leaving the seeds out keeps things balanced. For more heat, just toss in some extra peppers!
- → What’s the best bacon texture for the sauce?
Chop crisp bacon into tiny pieces for salty crunch and to balance the creamy texture of the sauce.