Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
Making a sweet and spicy bacon burger is surprisingly easy to do, and it makes a fabulous main meal that can be prepared quickly. With our recipe, you’ll get to enjoy a fabulous tasting meal in a few moments. Be sure to check out our detailed recipe as well as step-by-step instructions on how you too can easily make this delicious burger recipe.
Sweet & Spicy Bacon Burger
Our sweet and spicy bacon burger recipe is so good, it makes a great copycat recipe for the one that Whataburger carried for a limited time. This recipe is easy to make and makes a fabulous dinner everyone enjoys.
Let’s begin by looking at what ingredients you need to make these delicious burgers, as well as some substitutions you could make if desired.
Copycat Whataburger Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger Ingredients
Hamburger buns. You can use any type of hamburger bun you wish for this recipe.
Ground beef. You can choose to use different levels of beef for your hamburger patties. The different levels of fat content will determine how juicy the burgers end up being.
Bacon. Thick-cut cooked bacon is added to these burgers for a delicious savory flavor and added crunch. You can buy your bacon pre-cooked, or you can cook it yourself, however, we do recommend using thick-cut bacon for the best overall results.
Onions. Grilled onions help to give the burgers a sweet yet spicy flavor. You can use yellow or white onions for the best overall flavor. You could also use sweet onions if you desire.
Cheese slices. To make your sweet and spicy bacon burgers and authentic Whataburger copycat you will want to use slices of American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese.
However, if you want to mix things up you can also choose other flavors of cheese slices to include in your burgers.
Mustard. Although not required, mustard is the traditional condiment used on this burger.
If you wish to substitute it you could use ketchup, barbecue sauce, Chick-fil-A sauce, mayonnaise, or your own homemade sauce as a substitute for mustard.
Seasonings. We like to use a bit of seasoning salt, and Worcestershire sauce in our burgers to enhance overall flavor.
This is not required, but we will walk you through step-by-step process of how you can do this for an amazing overall taste in burger.
Sweet & Spicy Pepper Sauce. Whataburger uses a sweet and spicy pepper sauce on the burger. You can purchase this sauce through online grocery stores or maybe even at your local grocery store, or you can attempt to make your own. You can also substitute the sauce with other condiments if desired.
How to make Whataburger Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
To make these delicious sweet and spicy bacon burgers first began by thawing your meat. Once it is thawed shape the meat into patties.
There are a few different ways you can cook these burgers if desired. We recommend grilling them, but you can also cook them in a skillet or even on a rimmed cookie sheet in the oven.
Skillet Method
You can cook both your burgers and hamburger as well as even the onions in the skillet on the stovetop. Simply place the skillet over medium heat and add your food. Cook until the bacon is as crispy as you desire, then place the bacon onto a paper towel to allow the grease to drain.
You can also cook the onions until they are slightly transparent, remove them and allow them to rest until you are ready to assemble the burger.
Now as your burger’s cooking in the skillet, you’ll want to turn it as few times as possible. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each burger.
Depending on how you want your burger done, for medium, internal temperature should be between 140°F and 145°F, medium well between 150°F and 155°F, and for well done 160°F to 165°F.
Grill Method
Preheat your grill so that it reaches approximately 350°F. Add your burgers, bacon, and wrap your onions in aluminum foil with a drizzle of oil. Place the onions onto the grill as well.
Cook them until your bacon is as crispy as you want, the burger temperature is as desired, reaching at least 140°F, or up to 165°F for well done.
When your burgers, bacon, and onions are done remove them from the grill. Allow the burgers to rest for a few minutes before assembling.
Oven Method
Another method for cooking is baking your meat and onions in the oven. To do this you will want a rimmed cookie sheet or cake pan.
Add your strips of bacon, hamburger patties, and sliced onion. Bake at 350°F for approximately 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of your burgers is reached.
Remove them from the oven and allow the patties to rest before assembling.
Please note that grilling hamburgers is our favorite method but baking the bacon in the oven turns out fabulous as well. Feel free to cook your meat and onions as desired.
Assemble the Burgers
Once your meat is cooked, and the onions are cooked, it is time to assemble your burger. If you like your cheese to be melted, you’ll want to add the slices of cheese to your hamburger patties shortly before removing them from your heat.
Allow the burger patties to rest for a couple of minutes before assembling the burgers.
Then, take your buns, and layer them with the hamburger patties, cheese, grilled onions, and bacon, top it with mustard if desired. You can also top with sweet and spicy bacon burger sauce if you wish.
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger Sauce
To make our copycat Whataburger sweet and spicy pepper sauce, you will need a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Into the saucepan add cornstarch, water, vinegar, corn syrup, egg yolk, and buttermilk. Stir this mixture until it is combined, then continue stirring the mixture over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken and reaches at least 165°F.
Once the mixture thickens and reaches 165°F, remove the mixture from the heat and add salt, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, parsley, sugar, and chipotle pepper or jalapeño peppers. Stir to combine, then allow the mixture to cool before adding to your burgers.
If desired, you can add it to your burgers while still warm, or you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator to chill the sauce before adding it to your burgers.
How to Store Hamburgers
Room temperature. Hamburgers should not be left at room temperature any longer than two hours no matter if the meat is cooked or raw. The two-hour rule applies when your room temperature is between 40°F and 90°F.
If your room temperature is 90°F or above the hamburger should be left at room temperature for no more than one hour before it goes bad.
In the fridge. Hamburgers that you wish the store for longer amounts of time should be placed in the refrigerator at 40°F or below.
To refrigerate the burgers, first transfer them to an airtight container or sealed in a plastic storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
In the freezer. If you wish to save your leftover hamburgers for longer periods of time, you may want to consider freezing them.
To freeze the hamburger patties, transfer them to airtight container or seal them in a plastic freezer bag. Be sure to label and date the containers then placed into the freezer at 0°F or below. For best results enjoy the hamburgers within 3 to 4 months.
How to Reheat the Burger
You can reheat the hamburgers in a variety of methods. These include in the microwave, air fryer, toaster oven, oven, on the grill, or in a skillet on your stove top.
Microwave. To reheat cooked hamburgers in the microwave, placed them in a microwave-safe bowl and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave for one to two minutes or until the burger is warmed through.
Air fryer. Add your cooked hamburger patty into the air fryer and heat at 350°F for approximately 4 to 6 minutes or until the burger patty is warmed through.
Toaster oven. Reheating a hamburger patty in a toaster oven is similar to the air fryer. Heat the toaster oven to 350°F, add the burger patty, and heat for a few minutes until the patty is warmed through.
Oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then place your burger patties on a rimmed cookie sheet. Add into the oven, and heat for approximately 10 minutes or until the patties are warmed.
Grill. To reheat your burger patties on the grill, first light the grill, and allow it to preheat to approximately 350°F. And your burger patties to the grill grates, and allow them to warm all the way through.
Skillet. Our favorite way to reheat burger patties is using a skillet on the stovetop. To do this add your skillet to the burner over medium heat.
Place your burger patties into the skillet, and allow them to warm on each side until the patties are warmed all the way through.
Tips for Making the BEST Burgers
Press the patties. When you are making these sweet and spicy bacon burgers, we recommend pressing the burger patties as thin as possible.
Depending upon what fat content of the hamburger you are using, the patties are likely to shrink and become thicker in the center. To ensure that your burger cooks evenly, you will want to allow a well in the center of the burger.
Hamburger fat content. We recommend using at least an 80/20 hamburger, or even a 70/30, these grades of hamburger will allow you to have a nice juicy burger. We do not recommend making hamburgers with 90/10, as they will turn out very dry.
Variations on the Bacon Cheeseburger
Many different variations to the sweet and spicy bacon burger that you can make if you wish.
Hamburger Seasonings
There are a lot of different ways you can season your burgers if you wish. We recommend including Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt.
However, there are also specific hamburger seasonings you can buy that make a delicious overall tasting Burger as well. You do not have to add any seasonings to your burger if you like them plain.
Different Topping Ideas
What if you would like to add some other toppings in addition to cheese, onions, and bacon?
Some of our favorite toppings include French fried onions, tomato, lettuce, and pickle. However, when it comes to making burgers, the sky is really the limit when adding toppings.
Different Sauce Ideas
If you would like to include a different sauce besides the specific sweet and spicy pepper sauce, barbecue sauce is always a favorite. You could also try adding a bit of hot sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, or even Chick-fil-A sauce to your burger.
What are the Best Side Dishes for Sweet n Spicy Bacon Burgers?
Some of our favorite side dishes for the sweet and spicy bacon burger include the following dishes:
FAQs
What Type of Bun is Best for Hamburgers?
You can use any type of bun for these burgers. The basic hamburger bun will work well, or you can get fancy and use rolls, or another type of fancy hamburger bun. Really, the bun is up to your preference.
Can you put raw bacon in the burger?
For best practices, we recommend that you include cooked bacon in your hamburger before the patty is cooked. Under no circumstances should raw bacon be added to a cooked hamburger.
Should I add breadcrumbs or an egg?
Although not necessary, you can include breadcrumbs or an egg in your hamburger patty if desired. Please note that breadcrumbs and eggs may dry out the patty slightly.
How should I cook my burgers?
There are many ways you can cook your burgers, including, in a skillet on the stovetop, in the oven, on the grill, and more.
Our favorite way to cook the burgers is on a grill, cook the bacon in the oven, and sauté the onions on the stovetop. However, you can cook them all the same way using the instructions given above if you desire.
Sweet n Spicy Bacon Burger
Our sweet and spicy bacon burger is very easy to make, and it tastes fabulous. If you are looking for a copycat to Whataburger’s, ours is a very close copycat. We hope that you will give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do! Now it’s time to get cooking!
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Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger Recipe
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
Ingredients
- 4 beef patties
- 6 strips bacon
- 1 medium onion grilled
- 2 slices Monterey Jack
- 2 slices American Cheese
- 2 tsp Mustard to taste
- 1/2 tsp seasoning salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Hamburger buns
Sweet & Spicy Pepper Sauce
- 1 tsp Food starch
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/8 cup Vinegar
- 1/8 cup Corn syrup
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 1/4 cup Buttermilk
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Mustard
- 1 tsp Onion
- 1/2 tsp Garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes jalapeño peppers, or chipotle pepper
- 1/2 tsp Parsley
- 2 tsp Sugar
Instructions
- To make these delicious sweet and spicy bacon burgers first began by thawing your meat. Once it is thawed add Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt if desired, and shape the meat into patties.
- There are a few different ways you can cook these burgers if desired. We recommend grilling them, but you can also cook them in a skillet or even on a rimmed cookie sheet in the oven.
Skillet Method
- You can cook both your burgers and hamburger as well as even the onions in the skillet on the stovetop. Simply place the skillet over medium heat and add your food. Cook until the bacon is as crispy as you desire, then place the bacon onto a paper towel to allow the grease to drain.
- You can also cook the onions until they are slightly transparent, remove them and allow them to rest until you are ready to assemble the burger.
- Now as your burgers cooking in the skillet, you’ll want to turn them in as few times as possible. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each burger. Depending on how you want your burger to be done, for medium, the internal temperature should be between 140°F and 145°F, medium well between 150°F and 155°F, and for well-done 160°F to 165°F.
Grill Method
- Preheat your grill so that it reaches approximately 350°F. Add your burgers, bacon, and wrap your onions in aluminum foil with a drizzle of oil. Place the onions onto the grill as well.
- Cook them until your bacon is as crispy as you want, burger temperature is as desired, reaching at least 140°F, or up to 165°F for well done.
- When your burgers, bacon, and onions are done remove them from the grill. Allow the burgers to rest for a few minutes before assembling.
Oven Method
- The other way you could bake your meat and onions in the oven. To do this you will want a rimmed cookie sheet or cake pan.
- Add your strips of bacon, hamburger patties, and sliced onion. Bake at 350°F for approximately 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of your burgers is reached.
- Remove them from the oven and allow the patties to rest before assembling.
- Please note that grilling hamburgers is our favorite method but baking the bacon in the oven turned out fabulous as well. Feel free to cook your meat and onions as desired.
Assemble the Burgers
- Once your meat is cooked, and the onions are cooked, it is time to assemble your burger. If you like your cheese to be melted, you want to add the slices of cheese to your hamburger patties shortly before removing them from your heat.
- Allow the burger patties to rest for a couple of minutes before assembling the burgers. Then, take your buns, and layer them with the hamburger patties, cheese, grilled onions, and bacon, and top it with mustard if desired. You can also top with sweet and spicy bacon burger sauce if you wish.
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger Sauce
- To make our copycat Whataburger sweet and spicy pepper sauce, you will need a medium saucepan over medium heat. Into the saucepan add cornstarch, water, vinegar, corn syrup, egg yolk, and buttermilk. Stir this mixture until it is combined, then continue stirring the mixture over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken and reaches at least 165°F.
- Once the mixture thickens and reaches 165°F, remove the mixture from the heat and add salt, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, parsley, sugar, and chipotle pepper or jalapeño peppers. Stir to combine, then allow the mixture to cool before adding to your burgers.
- If desired, you can add it to your burgers while still warm, or you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator to chill the sauce before adding it to your burgers.
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