BYO Gourmet BBQ Burger Bar

Summer is here and it is time to GRILL. 

When it comes to backyard BBQ’s and celebrations, you have to fire up the grill. I feel like that is just a must. 

Though I will grill basically anything throughout the summer, nothing beats the classic burger. The juicy ground beef over a wicked hot grill, well, it just screams summers spent on the patio. 

This year, instead of the classic burger bar, I am switching things up by adding a BBQ twist to this gourmet burger spread. 

I’ve broken the burger bar down into three simple areas. 

First, you have your burger mixture that I made with Head Country Bar-B-Q seasoning. Personally I love to use Original Championship Seasoning, but you can use whatever type you like! I love the championship seasoning line because all the spice combinations work well in burgers, as well as on any other meats, in pasta, or even sprinkled over nachos. 

Second, make some gourmet toppings! With just a few extra steps, you can make some seriously flavorful toppings that add so much to a burger. None of these toppings are difficult, but they make a real difference! This burger bar has:

Black Pepper Bacon

Caramelized Onion

Heirloom Tomatoes

Grilled Pineapple

Finally, add in some classic toppings and the Head Country Bar-B-Q sauces. With all these elements, the options are endless for burger combinations. 

Here are some of my favorite burger combinations for this particular burger bar:

Bacon Cheddar BBQ Burger

Cheddar cheese + Head Country Original BBQ Sauce + black pepper bacon + caramelized onion

Hawaiian BBQ Burger

Pepper Jack cheese + Head Country Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce + grilled pineapple + black pepper bacon

Gourmet BBQ Cheeseburger

Heirloom tomato + Head Country Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce + red onion + pickles 

Pro tip: when assembling this burger, add the thick slice of heirloom tomato to the bottom toasted bun before adding the patty. It’ll make the burger more stable!

This Recipe’s Must-Haves

First of all, be sure to stock up on Head Country Bar-B-Q seasonings and sauces. This is what gives the burger bar that delightful barbecue twist! Pick all your favorites – you can customize however you would like. 

For grilling, I love to use my Traeger grill. It adds some additional flavor to the burgers and the grilled pineapple! I use Traeger grill signature pellets instead of some of the stronger flavors of pellets. 

Don’t forget the Traeger grill tongs as well!

Finally, you will need a half sheet baking pan with a baking rack to make the black pepper bacon.

We’re making a gourmet bbq burger bar!

Make Gourmet Toppings

I like to start by making the gourmet toppings for the burger bar. That way you can serve the burgers hot off the grill!

Sprinkle bacon with black pepper, then bake it up until it is nice and crispy!

To caramelize the onion, all you have to do is cook down the onion with butter and oil until they are browned and sticky. 

Slice heirloom tomatoes into thick slices, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. 

Now you can move onto the burgers!

Make Burgers

Mix together two pounds of ground beef with one tablespoon Head Country Bar-B-Q  seasoning. 

Form the beef into six patties, setting them on a plate until the grill is preheated. 

Grill

Add the burgers and pineapple slices to the grill. I usually cook my burgers for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium rare (more cooking time details are in the recipe card below!). 

If you are adding cheese, be sure to do so in the last minute of cooking so it melts!

Assemble

While the burgers and pineapple are grilling, assemble the burger bar. Add all the classic toppings and gourmet toppings to the bar, along with toasted buns. 

Serve everyone a burger the moment it comes off the grill and let me have fun!

Got questions?

Can I use different toppings?

Don’t like mustard? Don’t serve it! If you want a different sauce or cheese, serve it! You can mix and match all you want. That’s the beauty of a burger bar. Add all your favorite toppings and enjoy!

What Head Country Bar-B-Q sauces should I use?

I like to use Hot & Spicy, Original, and Sweet & Sticky for this particular burger bar. However, you can use any sauce you like from Apple Habanero to Chipotle to Hickory Smoke. 

Ingredients

BURGERS

2 lbs ground beef

1 Tbsp Head Country Seasoning, whatever flavor you like!

Optional: 6 slices of your favorite cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, swiss, etc)

6 burger buns, toasted

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, sliced

BLACK PEPPER BACON

1/2 lb sliced bacon

3/4 tsp black pepper

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

1 lb heirloom tomatoes

Olive oil

Freshly cracked black pepper

Coarse sea salt

GRILLED PINEAPPLE

1 pineapple, cut into thick rings

TOPPINGS

Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauces

Red onion

Pickles

Ketchup

Mustard

Mayonnaise