May: Month of the Burger... Post 2 - Cowboy Burger

Week 2 – Cowboy Burger
-  1 – 2 packages of ¼ lb. burger patties
-  Buns – good, quality buns. Seriously. Don’t skimp on the buns.
-  Seasoned salt
-  Salt & pepper
-  Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese
-  Bacon (recommended)
-  Lettuce leaves, ripe tomato, pickle, (optional)
-  BBQ sauce (ketchup-based BBQ sauce is recommended, as the sweet/spicy will pair nicely with the onions)
-  1/2 stick of butter (room temperature)
-  1 container French-fried onions or grilled onions or fried onions / onion rings

Start with thaw, cold patties. Patties are easier to work with when they’re cold, but you don’t want them to be frozen in the center.

If you’re using prepared onion rings or if you’re deep frying onions, be sure to start them so they’re done before the burgers are finished.

Start bacon cooking (optional) so that it’s finished before the burgers are done. These can be cooked on a griddle or in the oven.

On a cookie sheet, generously season patties with salt, pepper, and (optional) seasoned salt. Sprinkle seasoning on top, flip burgers, season burgers on bottom. Lightly oil (grape seed, avocado, or olive oil).


Bring grill to heat and place patties on grill. The hottest part of the grill is typically in the center and towards the back. Placing the burgers above heat will help sear the meat to prevent it from falling apart.

You want to move / flip the burgers as little as possible. Also, don’t give into the temptation to press the burgers with a burger flipper. Leave those delicious juices in the burger and not the bottom of your grill! The fat that’s heating up inside the burger will help it to cook more evenly!

Once the burgers are on the grill, close the lid and let the heat do its work.

Grilled onions (optional) – slice onions by starting at the root and working your way to the tip creating ¼” to ½” slices. Drizzle lightly with oil and place in the grill. The thicker they’re sliced, the longer they should be on the grill.

Next, toast the buns. Lightly drizzle the cookie sheet with oil and sprinkle it with salt & pepper. Place the soft part of the bun in the sheet just long enough for it to get a light coating of oil. The oil will help the bun heat up and keep it from sticking to the grill.

Flip burgers at 3 – 4 minutes or when the bottom has a good sear and prominent grill marks. Shortly after the burgers are flipped, place buns soft side down on the grill. Remove buns when the soft side is crispy.

After the burgers have been flipped, spread butter on the tops of the burgers. Coat generously so that the patty can absorb the butter. Let burgers continue to cook (lid down!) for 3 – 4 minutes or until both sides have a good sear and prominent grill marks.

Flip burgers one more time, coat with butter and give burgers one final seasoning with salt and pepper. Then top with cheese for final 30-45 seconds. Remove burgers as cheese starts to melt. If the onions are grilled, remove them, too.

Have the onion (hot!) and other toppings, BBQ sauce, and buns ready before the burgers have finished cooking.

Spread BBQ sauce on top and bottom buns. Place burgers on bottom buns and top with onions, bacon and other toppings. Onions should be placed on the melted cheese to help them stay in place on the burger.