Bacon Jam Burgers with Smoked Gouda Sauce – These aren’t your average backyard burgers! Toasted sourdough buns cradle rich smoked Gouda sauce, grilled dry-aged beef patties, lettuce, tomato and a grilled green apple slice. The sweet and smoky espresso bacon jam is topped over the apple slice, then we layer on shaved fennel, a drizzle of cider-Dijon glaze, and fresh celery leaves for brightness. This burger is bold, balanced, and built to impress!
Whether you’re grilling for Father’s Day, friends, or just spoiling yourself, this is the boujee burger that earns you serious bragging rights!
If you’re making these for a crowd, set up a burger board or station with the warm components kept warm (if possible) and let guests build their own.
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Pro Tips
- Make it in stages: Bacon jam, cheese sauce, and glaze can be prepped up to 5 days ahead in an airtight container. Huge time saver!
- Get the best beef you can: Dry-aged organic beef has a deeper, richer flavour, but high-quality 80/20 ground beef works great too.
- Don’t skip the acid: The fennel, apple, and Dijon glaze add brightness that balances the richness.
- Gouda sauce tip: When making the roux (the butter and flour base), whisk constantly and cook just until it smells nutty and turns a pale golden colour, about 2 minutes. This keeps your sauce velvety smooth with no floury taste.
- Burger tip: Press a dimple in the centre of each patty to prevent puffing.
- Customize: Not into fennel? Try arugula. Use a fresh apple slice instead of a grilled one.
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- Sourdough buns
- Dry-aged organic ground beef (80/20)
- Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
- Leaf lettuce
- Tomato slices
- Fennel bulb
- Lemon juice + pinch of salt (for fennel)
- Green apples
- Olive oil
- Celery leaves (for garnish)
Espresso-Infused Bacon Jam
- Thick-cut bacon
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Dark brown sugar
- Brewed espresso
- Aged balsamic vinegar
- Apple cider (not vinegar)
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
- Black pepper
Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- 35% cream
- Smoked Gouda
- Grated nutmeg
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and white pepper
Cider-Dijon Glaze
- Apple cider
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- White pepper
- Salt
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Make the Bacon Jam
This sweet-salty jam brings depth thanks to espresso and balsamic. A little goes a long way.
In a large 12.5” sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Leave 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the pan. Add shallots and garlic, sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and golden.
Stir in sugar and let it melt and begin to caramelize.
Stir in the espresso, balsamic and apple cider. Simmer 5–6 minutes until glossy and reduced.
Return bacon to pan. Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until thick and jammy.
Stir in toasted nuts and cracked black pepper. Cool, then refrigerate (up to 5 days).
Prep the Fennel
Toss shaved fennel with lemon juice and salt.
Make the Smoked Gouda Sauce
This sauce lives at the intersection of comfort food and fancy. Use freshly grated cheese for best results; pre-shredded can lead to clumps.
Melt butter in a 2-qt saucier or small sauce pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is pale golden and has a nutty aroma.
Gradually whisk in warmed milk and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Grate nutmeg to taste, stir in Dijon mustard and season with salt and white pepper.
Lower the heat, and gradually stir in the Gouda. Continue stirring until smooth and creamy.
Keep warm, or reheat gently before serving.
Make the Cider-Dijon Glaze
Adds sweet tang and ties everything together.
In a 0.75-qt butter warmer or small sauce pot, reduce cider by half over medium-high heat (should yield about ¼ cup).
Whisk in Dijon, maple syrup, white pepper, and salt. Simmer 2–3 minutes more until slightly thickened.
Grill the Patties & Apple Slices
Form beef into 6 equal patties (about ⅓ lb each). Press a shallow dimple into each center. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Grill over high heat, 3–4 minutes per side (or until your preferred doneness). Let rest 5 minutes before assembly.
Brush apple slices lightly with oil and grill 1–2 minutes per side until just softened with grill marks.
Toast and Fill the Buns
Lightly toast sourdough buns (grill or broiler).
In the lightly hollowed-out base of a bottom bun, spoon in about 2 tablespoons warm Gouda sauce.
Assemble the Bacon Jam Burgers
- Add a grilled burger patty to the Gouda-filled bun base.
- Top with a leaf of lettuce, a tomato slice and a green apple slice.
- Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of bacon jam over the apple slice.
- Top with a small mound of shaved fennel.
- Drizzle with cider-Dijon glaze.
- Garnish with celery leaves.
- Crown with the toasted top bun and serve!
Other delicious burger recipes to try:
- Zimmy’s Nook Signature Burger
- Juicy Turkey Kale & Feta Burgers
- Mushroom, Pancetta and Asiago Burgers
- Bánh Mì (inspired) pork burger
Leftover Bacon Jam? Not Just for Burgers!
Don’t let it stop at burgers—this jam brings bold, smoky-sweet flavour to so many dishes. Here are just a few ideas:
- Spoon over soft scrambled eggs
- Add to grilled cheese or paninis
- Pair with brie or sharp cheddar on a cheeseboard
- Glaze chicken or pork tenderloin
- Use on flatbreads with apple + blue cheese
- Slather on toast, crostini, or breakfast sandwiches
Equipment Used: These bacon jam burgers were made in collaboration with Hestan Culinary using our Thomas Keller Insignia TITUM Nonstick Sauté Pan, Thomas Keller Insignia 2-Quart Saucier, Thomas Keller Insignia 0.75-Quart Butter Warmer, Hestan Provisions OvenBond Sheet Pans, Chef’s tools – both whisks, spoons, and the Hestan Provisions Stainless-Steel Mini Oval Au Gratin
Save 20% off Hestan Culinary by using code ZIMMY20 + our affiliate links. (Offer not available during promotional periods.) Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. All opinions in this post are always my own.
📖 Recipe
Bacon Jam Burgers with Smoked Gouda Sauce
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 6 sourdough buns halved (base lightly hollowed)
- 2 lbs dry-aged organic ground beef 80/20
- Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
- Leaf lettuce
- 6 heirloom tomato slices
- 1 fennel bulb shaved
- ½ lemon Juice only + pinch of salt for fennel
- 1 green apple sliced into ¼″ rounds
- Olive oil for grilling apples
- Fresh celery leaves for garnish
Espresso-Infused Bacon Jam
- 1 lb thick-cut bacon chopped
- 2 large shallots finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup freshly brewed espresso
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider not vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted walnuts or pecans finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole milk warmed or at least room temperature
- ¼ cup 35% cream warmed or at least room temperature
- 1½ cups smoked Gouda grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Cider-Dijon Glaze
- ½ cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Bacon Jam
- This sweet-salty jam brings depth thanks to espresso and balsamic. A little goes a long way.
- In a large 12.5” sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Leave 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the pan. Add shallots and garlic, sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and golden.
- Stir in sugar and let it melt and begin to caramelize.
- Stir in the espresso, balsamic and apple cider. Simmer 5–6 minutes until glossy and reduced.
- Return bacon to pan. Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until thick and jammy.
- Stir in toasted nuts and cracked black pepper. Cool, then refrigerate (up to 5 days).
Prep the Fennel
- Toss shaved fennel with lemon juice and salt.
Make the Smoked Gouda Sauce
- This sauce lives at the intersection of comfort food and fancy. Use freshly grated cheese for best results; pre-shredded can lead to clumps.
- Melt butter in a 2-qt saucier or small sauce pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is pale golden and has a nutty aroma.
- Gradually whisk in warmed milk and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in Dijon mustard and season with salt and white pepper.
- Lower the heat, and gradually stir in the Gouda. Continue stirring until smooth and creamy.
- Keep warm, or reheat gently before serving.
Make the Cider-Dijon Glaze
- Adds sweet tang and ties everything together.
- In a 0.75-qt butter warmer or small sauce pot, reduce cider by half over medium-high heat (should yield about ¼ cup).
- Whisk in Dijon, maple syrup, white pepper, and salt. Simmer 2–3 minutes more until slightly thickened.
Grill the Patties & Apple Slices
- Form beef into 6 equal patties (about ⅓ lb each). Press a shallow dimple into each center. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Grill over high heat, 3–4 minutes per side (or until your preferred doneness).
- Let rest 5 minutes before assembly.
- Brush apple slices lightly with oil and grill 1–2 minutes per side until just softened with grill marks.
Toast and Fill the Buns
- Lightly toast sourdough buns (grill or broiler).
- In the lightly hollowed-out base of a bottom bun, spoon in about 2 tablespoons warm Gouda sauce.
Assemble the Burgers
- 1. Add a grilled burger patty to the Gouda-filled bun base.2. Top with a leaf of lettuce, a tomato slice and a green apple slice.3. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of bacon jam over the apple slice.3. Top with a small mound of shaved fennel.4. Drizzle with cider-Dijon glaze.5. Garnish with celery leaves.6. Crown with the toasted top bun and serve!
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