Mouthwatering ABC Burgers [Avocado, Bacon, and Cheddar]

We adore homemade burgers.  It’s one meal that everyone in my family will eat.  We go out for burgers, too, but we all like homemade ones better. I love that I can make my patty the size and shape that I like and I can put on the toppings that I love, like red onion, avocado, bacon, and extra sharp cheddar cheese!  

I buy super lean 93/7 ground beef from Zaycon Foods! I LOVE it!  It is high quality fresh beef with no pink slime.  Every few months they come to my area.  I meet them at a predetermined location where they load 40 pounds of ground beef into my car.  Then I come home, divide it (easily) into 2 pound portions, package it with my Food Saver, and freeze it in my garage freezer.  If you have a big family or like to buy in bulk, I highly recommend it!  If you sign up and buy from the link above, I think I get $1 of credit towards their meats, so I’d be super grateful if you use that link to purchase.  Put in my name, Emily Nelson, as your referrer.

They have several other products but I’ve only tried the beef.  If you don’t have tons of freezer space, maybe get a box and split it with a friend or two.  It actually comes in 4 separate packages so it would be easy to share with a friend or family member.  It’s about $3.00 per pound, which is a fantastic price for beef this lean!

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Ok, now for my ABC Burger Recipe!   How delicious does this thing look? (I got a new camera lens and used it for these pictures and I am super excited about it!!!)

Here are the things I put into my meat:  BBQ sauce (use your favorite), liquid smoke (gives it that cooked outdoors taste, garlic powder, fresh cracked pepper (lots of it!), Lawry’s seasoned salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  Wow! I spelled it right the first time!!

I don’t really measure.  Here I had 2 pounds ground beef.  I put in about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 3 shakes Liquid Smoke, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsps. pepper, 1.5 tsps. Lawry’s, and 5 or 6 shakes of Worcestershire sauce.

I put it in the bowl of my Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment and let it do the dirty work! Easy!


Form it into patties.  Two pounds makes 7-8 patties, depending on how big they are.  Remember that beef shrinks some when you cook it (although the more fatty it is the more it shrinks) and make them big enough that they will fit your buns.  I love that I can make the patties personalized for each person.  I make a little one for my three year old, a big fat one for my husband, and big thin one for me, and medium sized ones for the other kids.


What makes a burger truly delicious is what you put on it!  I almost always make bacon to put on our burgers!  I usually do it in the oven, although I prefer the taste of it cooked on the stove.  To make it in the oven, line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil and spray lightly with Pam.  Lay your bacon out on it.  Place in a cold oven and turn on to 450.  Bake until it is to your desired crispiness.  It takes about 20-30 minutes.  Remember, bacon always cooks a little more after you take it out of the pan.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Prepare your other toppings.  I love cheddar cheese.  I use sharp but my family likes medium.  A lot of restaurants will do Swiss cheese on an avocado bacon burger.  I think cheddar is way better!  I also LOVE thinly sliced red onion on my burgers!  It’s the best!


Get out the usuals…ketchup, mustard, and mayo.  I don’t care for mustard, but my husband does.

Now this is VERY important! You must grill your buns!  Lightly butter them and place on a medium hot fry pan or griddle.  Cook until they are golden brown.  This is key to a great burger!

Once everything else is ready it’s time to cook your meat!  The key to cooking a great burger is to skip the BBQ grill and use a fry pan!  Seriously.  This way you can caramelize the meat on the pan, which adds amazing flavor.  Lightly spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray.  Get it pretty hot.  You want to hear a sizzle when you drop the patties on.  Let it cook at that temp for a minute, then turn it down a bit.  You don’t want to burn the outside while the inside is raw.  Once it’s nicely browned, flip it and cook the other side. 

Now you are ready to assemble your beautiful burger.  I call everyone to dinner and let them put their own burgers together.  We help the little guys but the older kids can do their own.  Serve with fresh fruit, or make some homemade fries if you’re feeling energetic!

Isn’t that a gorgeous burger?!