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Juicy Irish Pub-Style Burgers

A thick juicy beef patty seasoned with Worcestershire, topped with melted sharp cheddar, sweet stout onions, and crispy bacon, all finished with a cool Dijon cream sauce on a golden toasted brioche bun. Every component is earning its place and the whole thing is on the table in 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 450g ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Irish stout such as Guinness
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 brioche burger buns
  • 1 tbsp butter for toasting buns

Instructions
 

  • Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and leave a thin film of fat in the pan.
  • Add butter to the same skillet over medium heat, add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until soft and golden. Pour in the stout and simmer until reduced by half, then season and set aside.
  • Stir the sour cream, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt together until smooth and refrigerate until needed.
  • Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and mix gently until just combined. Divide into 4 patties slightly wider than your buns and press a thumb indent into the center of each.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high until fully hot, then cook the patties 3 to 4 minutes per side without pressing down. Add the cheddar in the last minute and cover until melted.
  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and toast the buns cut-side down for 60 to 90 seconds until golden.
  • Spread Dijon cream sauce on both bun halves, then stack the patty, a spoonful of stout onions, and two strips of bacon. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Do not overwork the beef when mixing. The more you handle it the tighter the proteins bind, and you end up with a dense, tough patty instead of a juicy one.
  • Season both sides of the patty generously right before cooking. Under-seasoned beef is the most common reason a homemade burger tastes flat, and beef needs more salt than you think.
  • Do not press down on the patties while they cook. All you are doing is squeezing the juices out of the meat and into the pan, which gives you a dry, tough burger every time.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. Cast iron holds heat evenly and gives you a much better sear than a regular non-stick pan, which is what makes the outside of the patty taste like something from a restaurant.
  • Let the patties rest for a couple of minutes after cooking before building the burger. The juices redistribute back through the meat instead of running straight out the moment you take a bite.