The Ultimate Bacon Egg Burger Fried In Cast Iron Skillet. 

Mouthwateringly good, this bacon egg burger is cooked to perfection in a trusty cast iron skillet. The juicy beef burger is topped with crispy bacon and a perfectly cooked egg over easy, then sandwiched between a toasted Calabrese bun. It’s the ultimate dinner-time indulgence, topped with same-day pickled jalapeno peppers, sweet sauteed white onions, creamy Monterey Jack cheese, crisp bib lettuce, and ripe tomato slices. 

This burger is a testament to the creativity that can arise from a late-night cooking session. My daughter, the mastermind behind this unique combo, often finds herself cooking in the evenings due to her work schedule. One night, her stepdad stumbled upon her crafting this intensely delicious burger. Impressed, he asked me to recreate her culinary masterpiece. And now, I’m sharing it with you for your enjoyment!

Why You Will Love This Giant Burger

It’s hearty. It can be a complete meal in itself. No need for sides when you have vegetables and dairy already added to the carb bun. So good!

Restaurant-Quality burger. This burger can rival any restaurant burger with its imaginative burger toppings. 

Best burgers. The best burgers are made with straight ground beef simply seasoned and cooked to perfection. 

Let’s get started making this ultimate burger.

The first step is to make the same-day jalapeno pickles. We’ve kept it simple and straightforward, using the recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen. These pickles are easy to whip up and add a delightful kick to the burger. After a few hours of marinating, they become the pièce de résistance of this recipe. 

When you’ve got the pickles safely tucked away in the fridge, we can move on. Finding the perfect burger bun was a challenge. Many store-bought breads need to be more flimsy to hold up to a massive burger like this one. Some are too crusty on the outside to enjoy a proper burger bite. That’s why we’ve chosen the Calabrese buns for this burger. The large flat burger patty can take over the entire bun, making each bite have all the tasty burger toppings. 

The next thing is deciding on your Monterey Jack cheese. I like mine without jalapenos, as I am not much for spice, and the pickles are enough for me. Some may prefer the jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese, though, to kick up the spice level in this recipe. I leave that decision to you. 

Make the sauce stay cold in the fridge while you work on everything else. The sauce can be made in a measuring cup or small bowl. The ingredients are a simple blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, soya sauce, and vinegar. Give it all a stir and move to the next step. 

See how to cook a burger in a cast iron grill pan for more tips.

Start by heating your cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. While it’s heating, form the burger patties using lean to medium-ground beef. I prefer leaner beef as it prevents excessive grease drippings when cooking indoors. Shape the patties slightly larger than the bottom of your bun, keeping in mind that they will shrink during cooking. The patties should be approximately half an inch thick. 

When cooking the burgers, season them with a mix of black pepper and salt about two feet away from the pan. I generally mix three parts black pepper and one part regular table salt. When the burgers are nearing the end of their cooking time, add the cheese to melt on top of them. 

As a general guideline, you can estimate the approximate time needed to achieve each temperature on medium heat:

1. Rare (120-125°F / 49-52°C): 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Medium Rare (130-135°F / 54-57°C): Approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
3. Medium (140-145°F / 60-63°C): Around 4-5 minutes per side.
4. Medium Well (150-155°F / 65-69°C): Roughly 5-6 minutes per side.
5. Well Done (160°F / 71°C and above): Approximately 6-7 minutes per side.

If you can use a meat thermometer to ensure accuracy, especially if you’re new to cooking burgers at specific temperatures.

While the burger is cooking or before, wash the bib lettuce (live lettuce) and slice the tomato. You can also start cutting the sizeable white onion for the caramelized topping. Add olive oil or other neutral oil and the onion in a regular frying pan. Sauté over high heat, stirring while they sweat. They will be ready in about 5-7 minutes. You can cook them longer if you prefer darker ones. 

Remove the onions from the heat and place them in a small bowl for later. Continue cooking all the burgers needed to feed your family. If you have a lot to make, go ahead and place them on a tray and keep warm in the oven uncovered at 170°F.

When you’ve put the last burgers in the oven, you will want to cook the eggs. For perfect eggs, you must use either butter or oil and don’t be shy. A general rule is to have more grease than is needed to make the eggs easily flippable and cook evenly. 

Cook the eggs on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Flip once after the white has almost fully cooked. The eggs cook for less time on the second side and will be done when the white is fully cooked on both sides of the egg. Cook the second side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, to the desired runniness of the egg yolk.

While the eggs are cooking on the first side, pop the pre-cooked bacon slices in the microwave for two minutes and allow them to get crispy. Remove them from the microwave and drain the grease off by placing them on a paper towel. 

Decide here whether you wish to toast the burger bun. If you do, it’s best toasted in a bit of melted butter and put down in a frying pan. Allow the bun to toast in the pan for a minute. Check it by lifting the bun to see if it’s toasted to your preferential toast level. 

Let’s start assembling this crazy big burger! 

So everything is now prepared, and indeed, so is your mouth. I bet it’s watering! Place the bottom of your bun on a plate and give it a smear of the sauce you made earlier. Add the lettuce and tomato, then place the burger with melted cheese. Place the cooked bacon on top.

The next topping to be added is those tasted sauteed onions. Give yourself a generous amount before carefully placing the over-easy egg; you don’t want the yolk to break. Add to that the pickled jalapenos and then spread the top of the bun with more sauce. Top the bacon burger off with the top bun and sink your teeth into the best bacon cheeseburger with the egg you’ve ever had!

Don’t worry if you forget the exact order to stack these. These burgers are so good you will want to keep a jar of those tasty jalapeno pickles in the fridge. 

Ingredients: 

Hamburger: Using a grill pan ensures the fat can drip away from the meat while it’s cooking. If you are using a regular skillet, it can’t, so be sure to drain off grease as needed. I use lean or extra lean 100% ground beef when using a regular pan that won’t drain well. Medium ground beef will also work if you want a richer flavor using a grill pan. 

Salt: This enhances the natural flavors of the juicy burger. 

​Pepper: Its spicy warmth complements the savory notes, creating a well-balanced and flavorful bite.

Calabrese Bun: Its slightly chewy crust and soft interior add a rustic, Italian flair to the burger experience. Plus, it’s large and sturdy enough to handle the serious burger toppings!

Monterey Jack Cheese: Adding a slice of cheese brings the mild, slightly tangy taste of Monterey Jack, which balances well with the other ingredients, creating a deliciously gooey and indulgent burger experience.

Tomato: Adding tomato to the burger provides a juicy burst of freshness, balancing the meat’s and cheese’s richness. Its acidity cuts through the flavors, adding a bright contrast.

Live Lettuce: Its delicate texture contrasts with the other ingredients. At the same time, its mild, slightly sweet flavor adds a fresh and vibrant element to each bite.

White Onion: Sautéing white onion with soy sauce caramelizes the onion, infusing it with a savory umami flavor. The flavor it brings to the burger enriches the taste experience. 

Pre-cooked Bacon: Using pre-cooked bacon cooked to delicious crispiness is convenient and adds a smoky, salty flavor and a satisfying crunch.

Egg: When made over easy, the egg’s runny yolk oozes out and creates a rich, luxurious texture that complements this ultimate burger.

Mayo: This common condiment adds creaminess and richness to the sauce, providing a smooth texture that coats the burger ingredients evenly. 

​Ketchup: In the burger sauce, the ketchup adds depth of flavor and a vibrant color.

Soya Sauce: This contributes a savory, salty, and slightly sweet flavor to the sauce, adding depth and complexity.

​Vinegar: I used regular old white vinegar, which provides acidity and brightness to the sauce, cutting through the richness of the mayo and adding a tangy kick.

Substitutions and Add-Ins For This Fried Egg Burger:

Hamburger: As stated above, I used lean ground beef for my burger patties. Since it’s a simple pressed burger, you can use whichever beef works for your family. If you want to shake things up further, try blending half-ground beef with half-ground sausage for an extra meaty taste experience. 

Egg: It may be omitted or made in any way you prefer other than over easy.

​Salt: If you are following a low-sodium diet, feel free to omit this seasoning. 

​Black Pepper: While cost-effective, using white pepper or other pepper blends is also okay. 

Calabrese Bun: This bun was chosen because of its extra-large size and chewy exterior, which would hold up to the ingredients we were putting on it. Any sturdy bun would work. Homemade burger buns made extra large would also be an excellent choice. 

Monterey Jack Cheese: I prefer regular Monterey Jack, whereas my family likes Pepper Jack to bring a more spicy kick to the burger. Other melty cheese choices for melting over the burger would be old cheddar, American, Gouda, or provolone. You may also omit the cheese if you wish. 

Tomato: A large beefsteak tomato means you only need one slice per burger. If you want a juicy tomato, though, any smaller variety would work. If you don’t want to use tomatoes, try sliced avocado, grilled mushrooms, or roasted red peppers.

Live Lettuce: This lettuce tastes super fresh, with a subtle lettuce flavor and a light, crisp crunch. However, you can use regular iceberg lettuce if you prefer. Alternatively, try using nutrient-dense green spinach leaves for a variation on the norm. 

White Onion: This large onion is perfect for caramelizing in the pan. However, you can use virtually any large onion variety with similar results. You can also omit it and replace it with crispy fried onions or an onion ring.

Pre-cooked Bacon: While pre-cooked bacon offers convenience, you can also use regular bacon. Or try a turkey bacon or a round of back bacon instead. 

Mayo: This is the base of the sauce. However, if you want to test a lower-fat option, try blending some cottage cheese in the food processor to use as the base instead. Remember that cottage cheese is saltier, and therefore, you may wish to adjust the amount of soya sauce added or omit it altogether.

Ketchup: This is a cost-effective ingredient to use in the sauce; however, feel free to use an alternative like tomato paste or tomato sauce, both of which bring a similar color and flavor.

Soya Sauce: Worcestershire sauce could be an alternative to soy sauce in a sauce. Worcestershire sauce offers a savory and slightly tangy flavor profile with a hint of sweetness, similar to soy sauce.

​Vinegar: Both lemon and lime juice provide acidity and brightness to sauces, similar to vinegar, but with a slightly different flavor profile.

Expert Tips, Serving and Storing Suggestions:

Tip #1: Don’t Overcook the Egg: Aim for the perfect over-easy egg. Cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny.

Tip #2: Use Cold Ground Beef: Do not work the meat mixture or your hands cold for too long during the patty-forming process. This helps maintain the meat’s texture and prevents it from becoming too sticky or mushy. 

Tip #3: Microwave The Bacon: For speed and convenience, you can heat the pre-cooked bacon in the microwave for two minutes. 

Serve the burger with side dishes like crispy fries, sweet potato wedges, or a refreshing salad. Provide plenty of napkins or paper towels for easy cleanup, and remember to savor every bite! 

If you make the burger ahead of time, you can keep all the components in the fridge covered for a day or two. Remember that fresh is best when it comes to slicing tomatoes, so do that step just before. 

Premade burger patties can be frozen for use later. Be sure to separate with parchment or wax paper for easier use later. Label the package they are frozen in with the date so you know when they pass expiry. Frozen homemade burger patties can be kept in the deep freeze for 3-4 months. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on trying this ultimate burger. Please leave a comment below with your experience.

Are you excited to elevate your burger game with these expert tips and mouthwatering flavor combinations? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, questions, or burger-making tips in the comments below. Let’s inspire each other to create the ultimate burger experience. Don’t be shy – join the conversation and make burger magic together!