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This burger has won Rachael's Burger Bash competition a record seven times! It's also the first recipe Josh Capon ever made on television, during an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" about 12 years ago. It includes his ketchup-mayo-sriracha secret sauce and bacon jam, which is way better than just bacon. The strips tend to slide off the burger, but the jam stays put and you get some in every bite! 

For more recipes from our "First Thing I Ever Made on TV" episode, check out Rachael's Shrimp with Sage and Pancetta, Ryan Scott's Chicken Piccata with Potato Gnocchi and Brooklyn Beckham’s Squish Burgers

Ingredients

For the Bacon Jam:
  • 12 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 sprig thyme, leaves stripped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Secret Sauce:
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup relish
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Sriracha
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Burgers:
  • Vegetable oil, for the grill
  • 2 ¼ pounds ground beef chuck
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 6 slices American cheese
  • 6 sesame buns, split
  • Sliced kosher dill pickles, for topping

Yield

Serves: 6

Preparation

For the bacon jam, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion, cover and cook 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Add the balsamic vinegar and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.  

For the secret sauce, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. 

For the burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Form the beef into six ½-inch-thick patties and season with salt and pepper. Grill 5 minutes; flip and brush with the mustard. Grill 5 minutes more for medium-rare, topping with the cheese during the last minute. Spread the secret sauce on the bottom buns, then top with the burgers, bacon jam, pickles and top buns.