California Burger
Sink your teeth into a flavorful California Burger made with a perfectly seasoned burger patty, white cheddar cheese, avocado and bacon jam! With 95% of avocados in the US grown in California, you truly can't have a California burger without plenty of creamy avocado. Pair it with melty cheese and salty bacon to create a burger recipe you'll come back to over and over again!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce
- 4 slices white cheddar cheese
- 4 brioche buns
- 2 avocados, sliced in half, pit removed, and smashed
- 4 leaves butter lettuce
- 4 large tomato slices
- ½ cup bacon jam, click link for the recipe
Instructions
- Combine the ground beef, hamburger seasoning and worcestershire sauce in a large bowl.
- Form the mixture into 4 burger patties, about ½ inch thick.
- Preheat an outdoor grill, or grill pan on the stove, over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the burger patties and cook for 5 minutes per side.
- During the last minute of cooking time, top each of the patties with a slice of cheese.
- Remove the burgers from the grill and allow them to rest on a cutting board.
- Place the buns on the grill, or in the hot skillet, and toast.
- Remove the buns from the grill, spoon bacon jam on the bottom buns and mashed avocado on the top buns. Place the burgers on top of the bacon jam, add a lettuce leaf and sliced tomato, then top with the bun with smashed avocado.
Notes
- You can replace the bacon jam with burger sauce and caramelized onions. You can also simply replace it with ketchup, mayo or mustard, and add raw onions or pickles, if you'd like.
- This recipe can be made on the stove. No grill? No problem! Simply cook the burgers on a grill pan, cast iron skillet, or the heaviest skillet you have available. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook for the burgers for 4-5 minutes per side. Add the sliced cheese on top during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time.
- Do not immediately place the burgers on the buns when removing them from the grill! This is a common mistake people make when preparing burgers, and one that I did for years. By placing the toasted buns and grilled burgers on separate plates, you allow the juices to redistribute throughout the burgers and not just soak right into the buns. I recommend waiting 5 minutes before assembling the burgers. Just like you rest a steak, resting burgers makes them more juicy and flavorful! And this process prevents your buns from getting soggy, so it’s a win-win!
- Cooking a one inch thick burger for 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat will result in a medium burger. If you’d like your burger medium-well, add 1 minute per side. If you’d like well-done burgers, cook them for 6-7 minutes per side.
- Always make sure your grill is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers (or any food for that matter) to a hot grill is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Burgers should be cooked over medium-high heat, between 350-400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Never flatten the burgers with a spatula while they’re on the grill. This will release all of the juicy flavor in the middle of the burger, creating a hamburger that’s less flavorful and juicy.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 1103kcal (55%)Carbohydrates 63g (21%)Protein 42g (84%)Fat 77g (118%)Saturated Fat 31g (155%)Polyunsaturated Fat 5gMonounsaturated Fat 27gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 271mg (90%)Sodium 1445mg (60%)Potassium 1060mg (30%)Fiber 8g (32%)Sugar 13g (14%)Vitamin A 2112mg (42%)Vitamin C 17mg (21%)Calcium 311mg (31%)Iron 4mg (22%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!