This incredible Bacon Cheeseburger starts with a perfect grilled burger served with smoky bacon jam, smoked cheese, barbecue sauce, lettuce, and crunchy onion rings on a toasted brioche bun. This is my version of the Triple Smoked from the Salty Dog on the Caribbean Princess.
Thank you, Princess Cruises, for providing me with the Caribbean Cruise. All photos and opinions remain -as always- my own.
I love it when I taste a food that I’ve known my whole life and find it surprisingly different. Case in point: the bacon cheeseburger known as the Triple Smoked on board the Caribbean Princess.
Everyone knows what a bacon cheeseburger is supposed to taste like, and this one did. But it was different in a good way.
It was a chargrilled beef burger with melty smoked gouda on it. The smoked gouda was the first little bit of burger bling that made the bacon cheeseburger exceptionally good.
The chef pulled a change-up on the usual strips of crispy bacon. He replaced it with bacon jam, which is -as we have already discussed at length- the ultimate way to eat bacon.
The most incredible onion barbecue sauce was drizzled over the whole shebang. This was a bacon cheeseburger to remember.
Thankfully, I was able to remember it quite well since I had four of them while I was on board the ship. Man, do I love the Caribbean Princess’s food.
The beauty of it was that I was able to order my bacon cheeseburger, plunk down at a table, and use my OceanMedallion™ with the Ocean Now app on my phone to order my favourite “Dirty Banana” adult-beverage, milkshake drink to go with it.
Within minutes of ordering it, that drink was delivered right to my table. It was like an on-board GPS that let you order drinks and food. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Ocean Now was my favourite thing on the ship. I ordered a bottle of aloe for my friends who had sunburns, ordered sparkling water poolside, ordered souvenirs to take home to my kids, and every time it was delivered right to where I was on the ship. Oh, and my favourite of all?
I learned I could order extra pillows and that was heaven on earth for this pillow maniac. By the time the cruise was over I had six pillows on my bed.
The steward who delivered my pillows didn’t even blink when he saw how many I already had. My friends, on the other hand, cackled hysterically when they saw my pillow nest.
Life was good on board. Take me back!
These were just the thing to grab after getting back on the ship after sight seeing and beach dwelling on the beautiful cotton candy coloured island of Princess Cays in the Bahamas.
Where do I buy bacon jam?
Obviously, I think you should make my fantastic bacon jam recipe, because it’s life-changingly delicious. if you’re not down for the project, you can most definitely purchase it online or from a well-stocked gourmet grocer like Wegman’s, Trader Joes, or Whole Foods.
The bacon jam truly does make this burger, so go for it! You’ll want it on all of your burgers for the rest of time.
When it comes time to put bacon jam on your burger bun, you may want to warm it up gently first. It is easier to spread the warmer bacon jam without tearing the bun.
What kind of buns should I use for a bacon cheeseburger?
In an ideal world, you’ll serve this bacon cheeseburger on a toasted brioche bun. If you can’t find them at your store, you can make your own brioche style hamburger buns.
If brioche is unavailable and you don’t have time to make your own, a good potato roll is a great alternative choice. Most important, though, is that you butter and toast your buns!
Toasted buns make all the difference between a good burger and a great one. It’s really simple to just toast them on the side of the grill while the cheese is melting on your burgers.
What’s the best cheese for a cheeseburger?
Well, now. Until I had this bacon cheeseburger, I’d have probably reached for sharp cheddar or (gasp) a decent American cheese.
After eating the Triple Smoked, though, I realized smoked cheese is where it is at for cheeseburgers. Smoked gouda is delicious, but smoked cheddar has my heart.
When I recreated the Triple Smoked, I decided to go with smoked cheddar because I love it so much. Boy, was that ever a great decision!
The verdict is definitely in favour of smoked cheddar. The sharpness of the cheddar holds up quite nicely against the flavourful barbecue sauce and bacon jam.
What barbecue sauce should I choose for a barbecue bacon cheeseburger?
The short answer is whatever you like best, but I do have a personal preference and recommendation. Homemade spicy smoky barbecue sauce is best, but Stubb’s Spicy Bar-B-Q Sauce is an excellent substitute.
Of course, man cannot live by bacon cheeseburgers alone. Guaranteed Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries, spicy bacon cheddar pasta salad, and Veggie Lover’s Greek Pasta Salad are some great choices for side dishes. Obvious choices for the beverages would have to be our Watermelon Margarita, this awesome colour changing cocktail, a Pina Colada, or a Dirty Banana!
If you’re looking for more delicious and economical ground beef recipes try out our Ground Beef Fried Rice a.k.a. Cheeseburger Fried Rice as well as our 15 Minute Korean Style Beef and Cheater Sesame Beef. They’re all budget friendly, easy to make, and wonderful.
Don’t forget to check out the awesome current Princess Cruises Offers to plan your own get away!
You know what goes great with a bacon cheeseburger? More cheese of course! Try this Provoleta – Argentinian Fried Cheese. Or if you’re looking to depart a bit from cheese, try this smoked salmon pasta salad. If you want to keep with the Caribbean Cruises theme, try my Watermelon Margarita based on the Sandia en Fuego from the Caribbean Princess!
Bacon Cheeseburger
-Prepare or preheat grill for high, direct heat.
-Form four equal sized balls from the ground beef then form those balls into patties. Sprinkle half of the Montreal Steak Seasoning evenly over the patties, then flip them and sprinkle with the other half of the seasoning.
-Grill the burgers on the first side until they are brown and release easily when you slide a spatula underneath them, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for about 3 to 8 more minutes, or until the second side is also slightly charred and the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium Rare: 130°F to 135°F
Medium: 140°F to 145°F
Medium Well: 150°F to 155°F
Well: 160°F to 165°F
-While the burgers are grilling, butter the split sides of the brioche buns and place around the outside edges of the grill, just until toasted and the buns have grill marks. Transfer to a plate.
-Drape one slice of cheese over each burger and close the grill for 30 seconds, or until the cheese starts melting against the burger. Use a spatula to tranfer the burgers to a plate.
To Assemble Burgers:
-Spread the bottom half of each bun with 1 tablespoon of bacon jam.
-Put a burger with the melted cheese on each bun bottom.
-Arrange a piece of lettuce on top of each burger, followed by 2 onion rings (if using).
-Drizzle 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce over each burger, then top with the other half of the bun.
Bacon Cheeseburger
Rate RecipeEquipment
- grill
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 4 slices Smoked cheddar cheese or smoked gouda cheese
- 4 brioche hamburger buns split
- 2 tablespoons butter softened to almost melting
- 1/4 cup bacon jam
- 4 leaves red or green leaf lettuce
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
Optional
- 8 onion rings
Instructions
- Prepare or preheat grill for high, direct heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- Form four equal sized balls from the ground beef then form those balls into patties. Sprinkle half of the Montreal Steak Seasoning evenly over the patties, then flip them and sprinkle with the other half of the seasoning.
- Grill the burgers on the first side until they are brown and release easily when you slide a spatula underneath them, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for about 3 to 8 more minutes, or until the second side is also slightly charred and the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. Rare: 120°F to 125°FMedium Rare: 130°F to 135°FMedium: 140°F to 145°FMedium Well: 150°F to 155°FWell: 160°F to 165°F
- While the burgers are grilling, butter the split sides of the brioche buns and place around the outside edges of the grill, just until toasted and the buns have grill marks. Transfer to a plate.
- Drape one slice of cheese over each burger and close the grill for 30 seconds, or until the cheese starts melting against the burger. Use a spatula to tranfer the burgers to a plate.
To Assemble Burgers:
- Spread the bottom half of each bun with 1 tablespoon of bacon jam.
- Put a burger with the melted cheese on each bun bottom.
- Arrange a piece of lettuce on top of each burger, followed by 2 onion rings (if using).
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce over each burger, then top with the other half of the bun.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
Reader's Thoughts...
Jack William says
These look so incredible! Your cooking is great. Thanks for sharing.
Gourmet food company says
I’m so glad that there are still people in the world who care for good food. I love reading all your recipes, watch your blog and try them myself. Looking forward to new great recipes! Thank you for sharing them all with us.
Best Lounge Bar in Pokhara says
Hey Rebecca, Your Bacon Cheeseburger looks so delicious. I have a restaurant called Iblues Restro which is also the right place to get the Best Indian food in Pokhara. I always try to add something new to my restaurant menu and this looks something special that could make my menu more special. Thank You for sharing all the instructions and recipe with me. Can’t wait to try it at my own restaurant.