BBQ Bacon Western Burgers Recipe (with Onion Rings)

These BBQ Bacon Western Burgers feature grilled beef patties topped with BBQ sauce, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and crispy onion rings. A delicious homemade burger for any night of the week!

This post was originally published on April 13th, 2016, and was updated on August 8th, 2024.

Why You’ll Love This Western Burger Recipe

Josh really likes noise. He sleeps best in restaurants or in the car where there is tons of noise. If it’s too quiet, he startles at each and every noise. The more Shawn and I talk, the better he sleeps. I can even vacuum right next to him while he’s sleeping, and he won’t wake up. It’s amazing! Wish I could sleep that hard.

It seems I always have a podcast or the TV on in the background during the day for extra noise. I’ve decided that cooking shows are the best background TV for our house. It’s perfect that I can start paying attention to it at any time, and immediately get sucked into the meal that is being cooked.

My favorite episodes are the ones about grilling amazing, juicy burgers. It gets me craving them. I must be watching a show with a burger recently, because I couldn’t get the idea of a burger for dinner off my mind. I created this BBQ Bacon Western Burger, and finally, my craving has been satiated. This burger is next-level delicious. Topped with tons of BBQ sauce, avocado, crispy bacon, and onion rings.

Now that it is warm and sunny out, we can start putting our grill to work!

I’ve always loved Heinz BBQ sauce. I particularly love the Heinz BBQ Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy. Heinz teamed up with Sam Jones, of the famous Skylight Inn BBQ in North Carolina, to craft Heinz Carolina Vinegar Style BBQ Sauce, a true Carolina-style sauce that blends the distinctive tang of apple cider vinegar with just the right bit of sweetness and spice.

It was the perfect BBQ sauce for this burger.

Ingredient Notes

ground beef
salt
black pepper
garlic powder
burger buns
Heinz BBQ Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy barbecue sauce
thick bacon
onion rings
avocado
big romaine lettuce leaves
optional: cheddar cheese slices, pickles, tomato, jalapeño slices, and any other burger toppings you love.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your grill over medium-high heat and clean the grates.
In a large bowl, season the ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and form into 1/2″ thick burger patties.
Place patties on the grill and cook until the desired doneness. I like my burgers medium well and cook for about 4 minutes per side. If adding a slice of cheese, add toward the end of cooking. Transfer to a plate and allow the patties to rest for 2 minutes.
Place each burger patty onto the burger buns. Top each with 2 tablespoons Heinz BBQ Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy BBQ sauce, sliced avocado, 2 strips of bacon, onion rings, and lettuce. Serve your Western burgers warm with desired sides.

Expert Tips

Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of the burgers if you’re unsure. Follow this guide:
- Medium: 140-145 degrees F
- Medium well: 150-155 degrees F
- Well: 160 degrees F

You can purchase store-bought onion rings and cook them according to the package directions or make these homemade onion rings. My homemade version is super easy and made in the oven!
You can use a charcoal or gas grill for this recipe. If you don’t have a grill, feel free to use a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Serving Tips

To serve, place the patties on the burger buns. Top each with 2 tablespoons Heinz BBQ Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy BBQ sauce, sliced avocado, 2 slices of bacon, onion rings, and lettuce. Add additional bbq sauce and toppings as desired.

Storage Tips

Store any leftover Western burgers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Store toppings separately and assemble when ready to serve. Reheat the patties in the air fryer, microwave, or over the stove.

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