Jalapeño Bacon Jam Cheeseburger

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (formed into ¼ -pound patties about ¼-inch thick)
• 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub (store link in notes section below)
• 12 slices bacon
• 4 jalapeños (sliced into coins)
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup whiskey onion bacon jam
• 8 hamburger buns

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the grill. Set your charcoal grill up for high heat, around 400-450 degrees F. Cooking your patties over high heat will give you a nice, crispy exterior.

2. 2

   Grill the bacon and jalapeños. Once your grill is heated up, place the bacon and whole jalapeños on the grill grates, close the lid, and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping occasionally. You want the bacon to cook on both sides, and for the jalapeños to blister evenly all the way around.

3. 3

   Prepare the patties. While the bacon and jalapeños are grilling, form the ground beef into 8 ¼-pound patties about ¼-inch thick and about ½-inch larger than the buns. The patties will shrink up a bit while grilling and you don’t want tiny patties on big buns. Season the formed patties liberally on all sides with the Beef Rub.

4. 4

   Grill the patties. Remove the jalapeños and bacon from the grill, place the patties on the grill grates, and close the lid. Cook the patties for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping occasionally. You want the patties to cook through evenly, and remember, you want to develop that awesome crust on both sides. While the patties are grilling, slice the jalapeños into coins and cut the bacon slices in half.

5. 5

   Add the cheese. Place a slice of cheese on each patty during the last few minutes of cooking. If you want to toast your buns, do that now as well. I like my burgers medium, but the FDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Make sure you’ve got an instant-read meat thermometer handy.

6. 6

   Assemble the burgers and enjoy. Once your burgers reach the internal temperature for your desired level of doneness, remove them from the grill and place them on a plate. Add about 1 Tablespoon of bacon jam to the bottom half of each bun, then place the patties on top. Add the sliced jalapeño coins (2-3 per burger) on top of the patties, then place a couple slices of the bacon. Add the top bun and enjoy!