This recipe is a great variation on the classic burger:

The bacon is cooked first. Then, the mushrooms are sauteed in the bacon grease. Then, on the same bacon grease, beef patties are grilled in mustard and seasonings.

Piece it together with a great Mayo-Burger-Sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and ketchup, and you have Mushroom Cheddar Bacon Burgers.

Recipe serves 4.

Make sure to check out this recipe on my food blog: Michael's Test Kitchen !

Step 1: Ingredients

Ingredients: (makes 4 burgers)

8 pieces of bacon (2 per burger)

1 lb. ground beef

2 large beefsteak/other large tomatoes

4 thick leaves of Romaine lettuce

4 thin slices cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons mustard

3 cups minced Mushrooms

Salt/pepper for taste

FOR BURGER SAUCE:

¼ cup mayonnaise

⅛ cup mustard

1 tablespoon sweet relish

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Step 2: Produce

Prepare your lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in thin slices. You should have about 10 - 12 slices of tomatoes. Place the lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese on a tray until further use.

Step 3: Ground BEef

Shape ground beef into patties. First, with your hands, divide the 1 lb. of beef into 4 equal balls. Break the meat up, with your hands, and then push each of the 4 balls down so that they are proper flatness.

Step 4: Burger Sauce

Prepare burger sauce by combining the mayonnaise, ⅛ cup mustard, relish, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Step 5: Mushrooms & Bacon

Mince the mushrooms finely. Put them in a medium bowl for future use.

Place a cast iron griddle over a grill and heat it up. Or, alternatively, you can use a flat metal skillet/griddle over your stove top. Once sufficiently heated, cut your bacon pieces in half, so that you have 16 halves, and place on heated skillet. Sizzle until just cooked through. Remove bacon from griddle, and place in a bowl, and insulate it with aluminum foil. Do not turn off griddle, and leave the bacon grease hot.

Get your mushrooms ready. Dump them on top of hot bacon grease, and saute until mushrooms are very brown. Place them back in their original bowl, and insulate with aluminum foil. Do not turn off the griddle.

Step 6: Cook the Burgers

Now for the patties. Squirt the 1 tablespoon of mustard on the patties, and preferably smear around with a brush. Then place the thick burger patties on the hot griddle--yes the same uncleaned one you used to cook the bacon and mushrooms on.

Sprinkle patties with salt and more mustard, and let cook on one side for two minutes or so.

After the two minutes are up, flip the patties over, sprinkle the cooked sides with salt, and place a piece of cheese on each patty.

Finish cooking on this side for another couple minutes. After the minute is up, place patties and their cheese on top on a large heat-proof plate, and cover with aluminum foil.

Step 7: Build and Eat

Now it’s time to put together the burger. This part is easy.

First, place the bottom burger bun on a serving plate. Then smear the mayo burger sauce over the top. Then place on 1-2 tomato slices. Then 2 halves of bacon. Then one of the cooked patties goes on top, and on top of the patty goes the additional 2 halves of bacon. On top of the bacon goes the sauteed mushrooms. Then on goes the piece of Romaine lettuce, and finally, on goes the last burger bun!

Repeat 3x for a total of 4 delicious Mushroom Cheddar Bacon Burgers!